We Can Still Pretend
by Ryunn Kazan
Summary: Second in "The Virus" series. Anko is caught in a mirage and Orochimaru is making matters worse. But why is he helping her? What does he want? And most importantly, why is Itachi still haunting Anko? IS he haunting her?
1. The morning after

**_In between 'The Virus' and 'Orochimaru's Nightmare' This story is about what happen after woke up in the hospital and how she is dealing with the memories of the nightmare realm._**

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"_Itachi?"_

"_Yes?"_

"…_Is this what dying feels like?"_

"…"

"Itachi!?'' Anko breathed, sitting up in hopes that he was there. Alas, he wasn't. She let her eyes wonder around the almost empty hospital room. Anko hated hospital with all her being; the sanitized rooms, the 'healthy' food, the nurses who really wanted you to die so that they didn't have to deal with your ass any more, yeah she hated hospitals.

The room was bathed in yellow sunlight; it was like a new beginning. Anko frowned at this. She had been use to seeing Itachi's red that it had started numbing the colors she saw in her eyes. Itachi…was he really dead? She couldn't even remember the details of how she had gotten acquainted with him in the first place. There was a mission that required her to sneak up on one of the remaining Uchihas'. Something went wrong and she wound up in Tsukuyomi staring into Itachi Uchiha's eyes.

Anko shuddered at the strange memories. It is believed that you lose 17% of your memory when you sleep; Anko was well aware that she and her memories were a proven case to that myth. Her thoughts wouldn't form the way she wanted them to in her head which made her angry and for some reason scared.

The door opened followed by the scent of food that hadn't been properly cooked. Anko concentrated on the person that entered "Go away."

Orochimaru smirked "Sorry love but we have much to discuss. I thought a talk over breakfast would be the trick to ease your mind." He laid a tray with fried eggs, crinkly bacon and deformed toast. "Thank you but I had crap for dinner last night."

Orochimaru chuckled "I may have to talk with the staff about better breakfast choices." he shoved the tray into her "Still you need to eat something."

She shoved the thing back to him "No thanks." she growled

Orochimaru was beginning to lose his patience with her "Anko, if you don't start eating I swear I will shove every bite of this down your throat."

Anko narrowed her eyes at him. She knew he would do it but she was not going to relent to him "Try it."

Orochimaru grabbed her jaw with one hand and a fork with the other. He stabbed the fork in the greasy eggs and tried to get them into her mouth. "Eat it EAT IT!" Anko kept pushing him away. She finally grabbed the tray and lunged it at his head, causing the food and dishes to get in his hair. She pushed him back and watched him fall to the ground. "Ha!"

Orochimaru slowly wiped the food fragments off his face. While he was glaring at her, he stood up and grabbed the fork with the full intention of stabbing it in her throat. Anko sat up ready to fight him.

"Is everything alright?"

They both stopped what they were doing and turned to the voice at the door way. There stood Kabuto Yakushi, staring worriedly at the people before him. It was unnatural to see his master lying on the floor with...food in hair with a women he was sure would only be a distraction to there plans...but of course he didn't go against what his master had decided. He extended a hand to help Orochimaru. While he was picking bits of egg out of his hair, Kabuto walked up to Anko.

Anko gripped the sheets to resist attacking him as well. To her surprise he extended his hand to her "Hi," he smiled "You probably don't remember me too well but I'm-"

"I know who you are!" she snapped "You were a spy for six years in the Chunnin exams before Orochimaru attacked."

Kabuto was quiet. She really did pay attention to her surroundings. He was about to pull away when Anko grabbed his hand shaking it in the form of a greeting "Long time no see." she said huskily. When they stopped, Kabuto noticed that her hand along with the rest of her body was trembling. He released her hand and glanced back at his master for an answer.

Orochimaru just shrugged "I did tell you she was fucked up."

Anko shot him a glare "Hey!"

Orochimaru turned to leave, motioning Kabuto to follow him "We'll be back later Anko-chan." Kabuto said.

'_Anko-chan?' _The door closed before she could ask a question.

_Later_

"Here," Kabuto said giving her some clothes folded up neatly "I took the liberty of getting you these from the basement."

Anko said nothing as she unfolded the shirt.

"Sorry but they didn't have anything in a size four."

Anko paused "How-"

"I checked the clothes they took from you when you first arrived." he stated smiling "I got you a five but brought a belt so that they'd fit more comfortable."

Anko stared at him questionable "Why are you doing this?"

"For you journey, we checked you out this morning so you're ready to leave as soon as your dressed."

Anko laid the shirt to the side "What..." she wasn't sure how to ask him questions.

Kabuto looked so serine and kind but his next words portrayed the side of him no one else knew "You didn't think we were just going to let you go that easily did you?"

Anko stared at him in disbelief; Kabuto saw her shock and tried to reassure her "I didn't mean it the way you must be thinking. I meant that, with Itachi dead..." Anko couldn't look at him. Kabuto continued without her eye contact "We have reason to believe that the Akatsuki might want vengeance on you."

Anko glanced at him, she was furious now "They...I..."

Kabuto saw her unsureity, this was the part Lord Orochimaru said he would enjoy...the part that required messing with her mind. If he was lucky, he would get to see her cry. "You still have your doubts that he's dead don't you?" he asked pretending to be sincere "Orochimaru told me everything, even though-"

"It had to be hallucinations!" she exclaimed, more to herself that him "I...I fought him, I was in Tsukuyomi but he...he..." she was beginning to crash "It was for my sake he promised that! He said he no you he...Itachi he..." she couldn't breathe SHE COULDN'T BREATH.

Kabuto grabbed her chin and made her keep her mouth open like Orochimaru did when she wouldn't eat "Anko," he said calmly as thought he was giving her instructions to a task "You're going into shock, you need to calm down. Take slow deep breaths...see that's better-"

"Don't touch me!" She jumped out of bed despite not knowing what to do "I'm not going anywhere with you I don't want to go there!" she tripped over the pole of her IV. Kabuto tried to help her up but she trashed until he got away from her. She sat on her knees panting heavily. She blinked. Once. Twice [feet walked to her]. Three times [this time Itachi's crouching in front of her but she doesn't see him because she refuse to see anything but the tiles.

Anko stared at the floor as the light began to fade. '_Itachi...what did you want from me.'_

_Itachi touched her cheek "Nothing you couldn't return." _

Kabuto picked up the call button that Anko had let drop to the floor when she had gotten up. He pressed it for assistance but he knew it would be Orochimaru who would show up instead of a nurse. This was going to be fun.

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**_I am a total screw up with two weeks left of school and terrible writers block. HELP ME!_**


	2. Come with us if you want to live

She was shifting and bouncing because someone thought it necessary to do that to her; it made her sick, it made her worse. Anko opened her eyes. Her face was nestled in someone's shoulder; they were the one bobbing her down in such an annoying way. She looked up to see Orochimaru's familiar black head moving. She groaned and lifted her head.

Kabuto looked back at her "Evening Anko-chan." He stated.

She stared down at him, there was something hazy in her mind that had something to do with him but…it just didn't…

"How do you feel?"

Anko felt sick. "Put me down I'm nauseated." She said.

Kabuto smirked and let her down gently. Anko kept her hand on his shoulder as she adjusted to her sickness that was swimming in her gut. She took in a few shakey before anilizing her surroundings. They were on a deserted road surrounded by greenary. Somehow she was in the clean clothes Kabuto had showed her ealier [he or Orochimaru probably had put them on her..the little perverts] Orochimaru was staring back at her, some unnamed emotion written on his face. She didn't get to look at him long before he began heading off "We have to move quickly, you never know who could be following just behind."

Kabuto suddenly slipped out from under her, leaving Anko to try and balance herself. "If you're still tired I don't mind carrying you a little longer." Kabuto offered wickedly grinning. Anko buried the urge to kick him in between the legs; she shook her head and turned around and walked in the opposite direction "Bye."

"Anko." Kabuot called to her sternly "We went over this you **have **to come with us."

Anko closed her eyes and stilled her breathing "I don't **have** to do anything."

"If you try to make the journey back to Konoha alone you're done for."

Anko laughed at him "You don't know me four eyes."

"And you don't know the Akatsuki," he snickered at the next part "At least not most of them."

Anko's body clenched tighter as she began losing control of her anger "Shutup."

Kabuto smirked as he walked closer to her shaking form "I for certain that the remaining Akatsuki will want to throw you around a few times before **tossing you aside****... **sound familiar**-"**

Anko swung around and grabbed him shaking him roughly "SHUT UP SHUTUP SHUTUP!" Someone grabbed her and kept her from killing Kabuto "That's enought out of both of you." Orochimaru scowled. He turned his attention to Kabuot first "Do not antaginze Anko in a way that may cost you your life." he stated "You don't know her strengths."

Anko wa a little surprised that he would comment her in such a way, it had been her strenths that they hadn't seen one another in so long.

Orochimaru turned to her then. for a moment her only stared at her like he didn't know what to say "Kabuot is right. The Akatsuki aren't going to take Itachi's death so lightly. They **will **take you down-"

"I don't even know if he's dead!" Anko shouted "I was caught by his Shardingun! I was losing my mind, anything could have happened. Itachi might not be dead." She would have loved to believe that.

"Yes he is." Orochimaru stated hestitant.

"How do you know?"

"Because his body was given to us yesterday morning."

Anko's heart stopped. She had killed Itachi Uchiha.

Kabuto spoke up "Why you were still in recovery, an anbulance brought his body in. An Autopsy reveiled he had died of internal bleeding."

She had killed Itachi Uchiha.

"We have his body in the base we're heading to. We'll have a further analisis there."

Itachi was dead.

Orochimaru touched her back "You're welcome to help me with him later." Anko didn't respond. She stayed rooted to the ground even when Orochimaru tried to budge her.

"It's only as a precaution that you stay with us. In a months time you will be allowed to return to Konoha-"

Anko laughed while saying "I am not...going with you."

His hand shifted to her shoulder; he squeezed it hard "If you want to die that's fine with me." He released her and moved on, Kabuto following like a dog to its master. Anko stayed put to think.

_"Itachi you don't HAVE to do anything._

_"On the contrary love, I ran out of choices long ago, if I don't eliminate Konaha's spy, Pain will send Hindan or Kakazu to kill you and I assure you, I'm FAR more merciful than either of them."_

So this is what it was like to know how you were going to die, weird, but it made you think. Anko was not afraid to die, years of watching people die around her taught her to fear other things other than death. Anko is not afraid to look into the eyes of the devil but she is afraid you will be with him when she does finally die.

Orochimaru was still peeking over his shoulder at her, waiting for her to come to her senses and realize that she couldn't out match these particular enemies. "She's an idiot." Orochimaru whispered to Kabuto.

Kabuto chuckled in response "I don't entirely think so. She's just in shock, as soon as she settles down she'll be fine." Kabuto looked back at her, she was getting farther away but he could tell her back was still to them. "She beautiful though."

'_Itachi...' _Anko pressed her hand to her forehead '_What happened in there?' _She sighed "Won't find out with Akatsuki chasing me." she shot back around to the two figures who were already so far away. "Hey wait up!"

The two snake summoners stopped as Anko caught up to them. She skid to a stop and said "Okay...going with you two is going to be pure Hell but...it's better than running into S-ranked monster minds." She cleared her throat, she was regretting her decision as it came out of her mouth "I'll hang with you guys until I know it's safe but if I wake up strapped to a table I'll kick both your asses."

Orochimaru chuckled, he had his student back "I suppose that's fair." he walked closer until they were face to face "But I make the commands so I suggest you learn to use that sharp tongue wisely or you'll find it cut off one day." he grinned thinking he had her. But Anko smirked defiantly "And suggest you do the same." Orochimaru frowned at her but gave no other remark "Let's go."

Anko saluted him mockingly, she then grinned at Kabuto who was watching to scene. He frowned as well "We're all going to die."

"This will be your room for the time being." Kabuto stated opening a large metal door."It's not much but at least you have your own bathroom and a bed." There was a one person bed with dark blue sheets, a dresser with a candle and ink well, a small closet and a second door, most likely the bathroom. Anko expected worse. "No dead bodies." she joked.

"Lord Orochimaru suggest I move them for your sake." he commented; he glanced back at her and said mockingly "We wouldn't want Itachi rising from the dead and killing you now would we?"

Anko stiffened at his words. Kabuto smirked and started to leave. He pulled out a key and said "I have to lock the door for now because...well you know." the door shut along with click.

Anko swallowed a large lump in her throat. He nor Orochimaru had made it clear if she was going to be a prisoner or just another subbordnate, she wasn't sure which she would rather be. She decided to check out the bathroom out, maybe she could sneak a shower in before one of those perverts showed up again.

She switched on a light, there was a bathtub\shower beside a toliet and a sink. At least there was at least one knob to everything.

She turned on the the sink and waited for the water to warm up. In the meantime, she looked for soap and a washclothe so that she could wash her face. She wetted the clothe and lathered her face with the soap and concentrated on the feeling of how good the hot water felt on her skin. Suddenly she couldn't breath. Something was forcing her face into the water so that she could drown. The water had reached her ears had blocked out her hearing but she could feel the vibrations of someone cursing just above her. Her hands searched for the being that was suffocating her and finally found a pair of hands. One was gripping her neck, the other was holding the back on her head down.

With a burst of energy she jumped back and managed to knock the person down with her. She laid against it for a moment as releif and air filled her. The person however threw her off him and stood so that he towered above her.

Anko turned on her back so that she could look at the person. Oh man it was Sasuke.

He reached out and grabbed her hair, arching her body up to his "Mind telling me why my brothers dead?"


	3. Sasuke's anger

Anko didn't have time to answer his question before she was picked up and thrown out the door. She stumbled but managed to get into a good stance before Sasuke attacked again. "Why did you do it!?!" she screamed angrily at Anko "Why did you kill him!?"

She dodged his fists as he tried to punch her. She was able to grab one and twist it "Sasuke it's not what you think-" He maneuvered them so that she was pressed against the dresser "Itachi is dead because of you!" he aimed for her cheek but Anko moved. The sound of glass burst loudly in her ears and bits of glass cut into her neck. Sasuke released her to doctor his hand giving Anko time to move and think "Sasuke, you don't understand. You don't know what happened back there."

Sasuke cupped his bloodied hand and glared at her "Itachi is dead...and you killed him! I don't care how the Hell he died. I was suppose to end him! It was my revenge and you took it all away!"

"I'm sorry-"

"You're going to be sorry. You're going to be sorry you ever set eyes on me or Itachi!"

There was a rustle of footsteps and then the door flew open "What's going on-" Kabuto stopped when he saw Sasuke hunched over with a bloody hand and Anko standing in front of him in front of the broken mirror. "What did you do?" he growled sternly to Anko.

Anko stared at him in disbelief "I didn't do anything!"

_'Hey right.' _Kabuto thought. He shook his head and turned his attention to the injured Sasuke "Sasuke come with me."

His gaze remained on Anko "No."

"Sasuke, Orochimaru's not going to like this."

"I don't care."

Kabuto felt for a seditive in his weapon pouch "Do I have to drag you out of here?"

Sasuke grimaced "I just want to-"

"Let's go."

Sasuke glared at Anko with pure hatred. He so badley wanted to cut open that body of hers and ravage it like the way Itachi's had been when he had arrived this morning. He remembered the cuts and bruises that had engulfed his older brothers body. It had been exciting to see him dead but brought up some emotion that Sasuke was unfamilar with. Love maybe? Saddness that his brother was gone for ever this time? Remorse that he hadn't gotten the pleasure in defeating him?

"Come on." Kabuto said, leaving the room before Sasuke. This gave the Uchiha his chance. Wasting no time he let chakra flow to one of his wrists; he shot around and charged at Anko, the full extent of killing her on his mind. Just as he was less than ten inches from her...

"ANKO DON'T!" Too late

Anko stabbed a piece of glass as hard as she could into Sasuke's stomach. They both gasped as the sound of flesh splitting open on a sharp object echoed around them. Sasuke fell on top of her as the blood spilled from his wond. He found it very hard to breath, she had punctured a lung.

Anko couldn't register what was going on. This felt so familiar, the feeling of blood soaking threw her clothes, blood that wasn't hers. The weight of another person on her as they died slowly on top of her. Deja vu indeed. But this time, someone was there to help her pick up the pieces.

In the mist of it all, she didn't feel the weight of the person being lifted from her and then she herself being picked up herself.

Blood.

There was a mixture of voices and yells of demands. She was shifted roughly and she felt sick.

Light.

Her eyes were opened and all she saw was a wall that was painted with shadows and spaces. She subconciously felt something rubbing against her, the object was icy warm and help her concentrate more on everything. But it wasn't enough. She began to slid into the darkness again but not before hearing the saviors voice whisper "It's alright One-gai, Sasuke-kun won't hold any weight against you any longer."

_'Breath.'_

_"Orochimaru I can't breath."_

_'Breath, you have to try.'_

_"I can't breath."_

_Orochimaru touched her shoulder and pressed his icy hand to her throat 'Breath.' he gripped her throat and snatched her airway out._

Anko woke up gasping and gagging. She looked around quickly, no one was in her room but something had been there suffocating her. But when her breathing calmed it became unimportant to her. She threw the covers off her legs and slid on her shoes before, just for something to do, twisting the doorknob. It opened simultamiouly. Kabuto must have forgotten to lock it after her episode with Sasuke...what day was it? Only one way to find out.

Even though she had no idea were to go, her legs led her down the dimmly litted hallways. For some reason something in her gut twisted each step she took. Her instincts made it certain that there was something up ahead that would scare her to death. Still, she was a shinobi and didn't cowar to the things of the unknow.

Her heart ponded and her breath stilled as she walked closer to the monster ahead of her in the hallway. '_Itachi?'_

Orochimaru turned around causing Anko's heart to jump when she saw his face. "Good morning Anko." He greeted "Sleep well?"

The image of stabbing Sasuke ran swiftly across her mind. Her fists clenched; she hated herself for what she had done, angery that she hadn't been able to control her anger but even more angery that Orochimaru was mocking her about her slip up and that he was taking it so lightly. Shoudn't he be angery or at least make an attempt to make her regret what she had done?

"How is Sasuke?" she asked

Orochimaru turned away from her without answering. He gave no motion for her to follow him but Anko stayed with him. Since he wasn't answering Anko expected the worse. "Is he alright?" she asked again, her voice rising. Again she received no answer from the Snake Sannin.

Getting fed up with his games, she grabbed him and threw him against a wall beside them. Before her he could recooperate, she had ane hand on his shoulder while the other held is neck in place so that there gazes were level. "Where. Is. **Sasuke?" **

Orochimaru smirked and his eyes trailed to the hand on his shoulder, indicating how akward the positon they were in was. Anko shuddered slightly and released him but kept a close distance between them so that he couldn't worm his way away from her. "Sasuke is in recovery." Orochimaru answered at last "I'm taking you to the room he's in right now, but you're so persistnt that-"

"How are his injuries?" she cut in

"Do not interrupt me." Orochimaru ordered sternly. "Anyway, his injuries weren't too severe. He barely lost any blood and there was no organ damage from the stab wound you gave him." he chuckled lightly "I think he was more in shock than pain, good job by the way."

Anko turned away "It wasn't intentional." she whispered

"I'm sure it wasn't. Now if you would please come with me...."

\.\.\.\.\.\.\.\.\

Kabuto looked up from his clipboard "He's doing just fine." he said reading Anko's expression "He'll be out of here by tonight." He whispered to Anko as left them "Try not to start a repeat preformance will you?"

Anko gritted her teeth when the door closed, she was sick of the medical nin already.

"Feel better?" Orochimaru asked her mockingly.

Dammit she was getting sick of him to! "Yes." she thought of something else to say but only one thing really came up "What day is it?"

"Friday morning. 10:35 to be exact."

Anko nodded, giving Sasuke one last look before fleeing from the room. "Be back later." she shouted. "Where are you going!?" Orochimaru shouted after.

Anko smiled for the first real time in days "You'll see when I show up again."

* * *

_**I am a total screw up**_

**_Sorry if this chapter is suckish but I really want to try to get a chapter of CureMe:Pt2 up. The last two weeks of school are going to be a pure pain._**


	4. Terrified

Anko almost collapsed on the ground when the crisp clean air hit her cheeks. Even though she had only been indoors for less than a day, she was starving for sun light and fresh oxygen. A slight breeze picked up and Anko stretched her arms out to appreciate it.

"Remind me to let you out every now and again."

Anko twisted around to see Orochimaru leaning at the entrance of the hideout. He straightened from his position to further conquer her.

Anko glared "I told you I wouldn't be long."

Orochimaru shrugged "I was curious to see where you were going. I have to admit though I was expecting you to do something more…spontaneous."

Anko scoffed "Sorry to disappoint you."

Orochimaru was beside her in a second "Were you planning to try to escape?" he asked amused Anko began walking away from him "No." He easily followed "Then what was your purpose?"

"To get away from you." she mumbled.

"Hard isn't it?" he mocked.

Anko turned back to him "Why are you helping me anyway?"

Orochimaru, still smirking, eyed her "You don't believe in a random act of kindness?"

Anko crossed her arms "You're not the kind of person to give hand me outs without at least charging someone their soul."

Orochimaru chuckled "True as that is," he stepped forward and his fingertips grazed the side of her face "you're special. Besides, it'll be interesting to see how deeply Itachi damaged your mind."

Anko snatched away from him "Shut-shut up." she gritted through clenched teeth.

Orochimaru shrugged his shoulders and turned back to the base. "Have it your way, but do me a favor and ask your murderer to keep your body close by. I'd like to ravage your body some before I put it away forever."

Anko shook with with disgust as images of what he would do went through her mind. Orochimaru laughed at her but she didnt' try to get him back. The only thing she could allow herself to do was watch his back dissapear back into the dark.

A cold wind blew past her. She could have sworn she heard Itachi laughing.

* * *

Sasuke peeked through a crack in Anko's door. She was just sitting there, her legs under her chin, staring at the candle on her nightstand. She looked so lost, so sad. She had Itach's eyes which made him hate her but he pushed his hate to the back of his mind to deal with later. He knocked and watched Anko jump slightly and say "Come in."

Anko was very surprised to see Sasuke enter, she fingered a kunai under her pillow just in case he was looking for another fight.

"Hi." he stated impassively.

Anko breathed in "Hello."

He stepped in and closed the door. Anko paniced but managed to conceal her emotions. "Can I help you?" she didn't hear the fear in her own voice.

"I was wondering if you would like to participate in Itachi's autopsy. It will just be Orochimaru and I if you don't."

Anko stared at him surprised "What about four eyes?" She hated that medical nin.

"Busy. Do you want to come or not?" he was getting impatient. "I don't care if you do or not."

Anko glared "That's influencing."

"Just shut up and get up." he growled.

Anko gripped the sheets "No." she tested. Anko wanted to see how far his anger could go.

"Have it your way." he stated leaving. Obviously not too far.

Anko sat there for a moment. If she got up and followed him it could lead to another fight between the two of them and...she would have to see Itachi's body. She would rather break her jaw in a fight between Sasuke than face that.

_'Just go."_

"But I-"

_'Are you honestly going to let a mere child show you out? He's wanting you to give in, he's wanting you to break. I think you're afraid?'_

"Only of you...Sensai."

_'Prove it. Prove me wrong.'_

Anko sighed and stood up slowly. She would have to track Sasuke down by his chakra if he wasn't concealing it. She grabbed her coat and set off for him.

* * *

"Sasuke you're not skilled with these kinds of tools-"

"You said you wanted me to attend this, I want to at least cut him open."

Orochimaru sighed irritatedly. There were times when Sasuke was a pure pain and Orochimaru wanted to take a scapel and cut him open. "Fine but-" the sound of a door opening and shutting caused him to redirect his attention. He smirked in amusement when he saw Anko enter.

"Come to watch the show?" Orochimaru asked wickedly. Anko sat down on a stool on the far side of the room without answering his question.

Orochimaru noticed that Sasuke was glaring death eyes at her. "Sasuke do try to get along with Anko-chan if you please. After all she is the reason why you have this oppertunity."

Sasuke gritted his teeth and turned away from Anko "She's the reason I didn't get to take down Itachi personally."

Orochimaru opened one of the cold chambers lined on the wall. There was a body of some sort zipped in a large body bag. He slowly unzipped it, knowing Anko was watching and wanting to relish the pain on her face.

Anko's heartbeat and breath haulted when she saw the peak of Itachi's nose poke out of the body bag. She wanted to close her eyes but something was forcing her to keep her eyes open. Something was forcing her to watch Orochimaru and Sasuke dismember her Itachi. "I'm scared." she whispered. No one heard her.

"Let's get his clothes off." Orochimaru suggested when the body bag was completely undone.

Anko gasped. Itachi looked the same way he did when.....

**_Itachi was standing infront of her, Akatsuki robe blending in with the red and black sky behing him and sword in hand._**

She could only see Itachi's face at the moment because Sasuke was standing in the way. There was dried blood on his lips and in the corner of his mouth and tiny droplets peppered his face simular to that of a rash.

Somewhere she heard the clanking of a knife and the sound of cloth being ripped. She saw Itachi's body shift so that his shirt could come off. Anko was immobleized by the scene she was watching. It was like watching a car speeding towards a child in the middle of the street; you could scream and cry but you couldn't look away. It was that addicting.

Anko's hands gripped the stool under her tighter when she saw Itachi's eyes furrow in discomfort.

She wanted to look away but she couldn't.

His dark gray eyes opened and his head turned to the side and he stared at her. How come Sasuke or Orochimaru didn't see this?

She wanted to look away.

Itachi arched his neck allowing Anko to get a good look at his eyes. All the were were red splotches of black sprials with tears of red liquor coming out of them. She was scared.

"What are you staring at?" Itachi commanded. Anko gulped. "Anko? ANKO?"

Anko blinked and Itachi was lying back on the table, Sasuke was staring back at her. He was angery for some reason. "You're suppose to be a shinobi, it's not like you've never seen blood before." he flicked his fingers to emphasize what he meant. Anko managed somehow kept herself from screaming when the tiny droplets hit the floor with an auible splash.

"Sasuke give it a rest." Orochimaru commanded wearily. Sasuke turned back around.

Anko took in a few breaths and as soon as her heartrate was steady she stood and annouced "I've seen enough." she started to leave.

"Coward." Sasuke mumbled

Anko haulted, stunned, but she couldn't deny what was true to her. "I know." she whispered. Pushing the door open she headed outside before she could catch Sasuke's or Orochimaru's responce.

* * *

Anko couldn't tell whether it was evening or still morning when she reached the outside world once again. She air was cooler and there were more shadows dancing around so it must be late by now.

She made her way to a bolder that was half hidden in the shadows and what was left of the sun. She sighed and allowed her aching muscels and nerves to relax. Her scences became alert as she calmed; she could hear every little thing around...including the movements of the large being swaying through the trees.

Anko's angery eyes shot open and she jumped into a battle stance "Come out show yourself!"

There was a rustleing of branches and leaves before Anko took a few steps back and...

"Oh my God..."

The person slowly streched from its sloching position making its, his, form clearer, even in the shadows. He was at least 6'2, olive green skin, a large sword was strapped to his back and the most terrifing feature to Anko was what he was wearing...A black robe with red clouds.

The person smirked blood thirstily at her "You must be Anko..."


	5. Suicide

Anko gasped and took multiple steps back to the hideout. She had to be slow so that the person wouldn't strike, afterall , she didn't know him at all.

The person chuckled at her fear "Relax, I'm not going to hurt you." He said. This didn't help Anko relax at all. "I just want to talk." He opened his cloak slightly and reached in for something. Anko was ready though, she searched for a kunai in her own jacket. Just as he brought out the object he was looking for she brought out hers. She aimed for the area between his eyes but with amazing speed he grabbed her wrist "Whoa, Itachi was right you are feisty."

Anko stared at him in confusion and amazment "Itachi?"

He chuckled and let go of her wrist "I am...or at least I was until you showed up, Itachi's former partner, Kisame Hoshigaki."

Anko's fist clenched.

"It's okay," he assured "I don't hold Itachi's death agains you. If you ask me I think he was almost happy to go, He died with a smile on his face."

Anko gulped but she couldn't find anything to say to him.

"I brought dango." he said "Itachi said you really like this stuff." he laughed, pulling the box out of his cloak "You and I might get along after all." he opened the box and pulled out a skewer of green, pink, and white dangos. "Yum." he hummed and leaned back against the boulder Anko was recently sitting on.

Anko stared at him hestitantly, first Orochimaru and now an Akatsuki were trying to play nice guy with her. Still, even with an enemy you should never give up a chance on free dango. She took a stick simular to his out and began munching on it, the sweet sauce calmed her down some. "So uh," she said before swallowing her dango "How can I help you?" the guy was about three heads taller than Anko.

"I just wanted to meet the person who killed my partner." he jeered "The hospital that took his body said that Orochimaru was going to collect it since no one would claim him. I also heard some mentions about..." he brushed some hair out of her face, his touch was scalding but welcomeing "a pretty but delusional girl who was going with him. I waited until he left and then I followed you."

Anko threw the empty skewer into a tree "Well here I am." He chuckled and offered her another dango which she took thankfully.

"About Itachi," Anko started again "Do you think that...the rest of the Akatsuki will want to..." '_Don't ask him that.'_

"They they're going to come after you?" he finished "Naw, I mean it's one less member but I hardly doubt that they're going to try to kill you for it." he grinned at her sinisterly "Not right away anyway. Not until they find out you're still alive."

"Still alive!" Anko exclaimed shocked.

"Yep. You went up against Itachi, it would just seem natural that you went down with him."

"You mean the Akatsuki thinks I'm dead!"

"The Akatsuki and probably Konaha. Ever since Itachi's body was recovered, a rumor started that the women that killed him died of severe wounds in the hospital and that her body was destroyed."

Anko's knees gave way "It can't be."

Kisame patted her head "Look on the bright side, at least it's easier to stay with Orochimaru now." his fingers pressed into her scalp "You are planning on staying with him right?"

Anko didn't answer. She was lost in her own thoughts.

Kisame smirked and stood up "Well, I've got to get going, don't need Leader getting all suspicious."

Her shaking eyes trailed, all she could see now was his legs but his voice was louder. For a moment he sounded like Itachi "Bye Anko."

* * *

Orochimaru cover Itachi back up and pushed him back in the freezer. He pulled off his mask and stared at Sasuke "It seems Anko's not intirely to blame for Itachi's death after all."

Sasuke flincher angerly "Fucking tuberculosis." he growled "He had fucking tuberculosis and he was out fighting." he threw his won mask down "The idiot!"

Orochimaru chuckled "It will mean a lot to Anko to know this...we should tell her don't you think?"

Sasuke leaned against a wall "I don't want to see her right now." he whispered. Was he about to cry?"

Orochimaru shrugged "Suit yourself." he said. His footsteps echoed up the stairs and dissapeared in the hallway.

Sasuke hated Itachi. He hated Anko. He hated himself. Why had Itachi put himself through all of that? He must have known he was sick, tuberculosis isn't the kind of illness to go on without showing itself.

He leaned in deeper into the wall '_Itachi you fucker you kill yourself.' _He wondered how Anko would react when she found out. Would she be surprised? Would she be grateful? Would she even care? It gave her a reason to feel better now that that guilt was gone.

He clenched his teeth, she should find out through him, even thought she dispised her for taking away his chance to take Itachi down. He left the autopsy room and head to the bedrooms.

Orochimaru was already at her door when Sasuke showed up. He was just standing there staring into Anko's empty room with a dimetric expression on his face.

"Maybe she just went outside." Sasuke suggested once he looked in.

Orochimaru shook his head "No, I checked the cameras, the grounds are empty, still..."

"Still what?"

He wasn't entirely sure "She wouldn't run away, no matter how upset she was. She has to still be in the base." He eyed Sasuke "I'm going to continue checking this wing. You go downstairs and see if she's there." Sasuke nodded and the two set off.

.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.

_They were back in Tsukuyomi, Itachi and Anko. He had her strapped down and his hands were burning because they were cut up and her blood was making them burn more._

_Anko shuddered violently as Itachi shoved another needle into her arm. She threw her head back and gasped hoarsly. "Stop......Itachi stop..."_

_He smeared blood on her face. "No."_

_.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'._

She burst out laughing as more blood drained from the holes in her arms. She was in so much pain but the only thing that she could feel was insanity. All that functioned in her brain was the blood and the eletric charges running through her arms.

Itachi was in the storage room with her, staring with amused dissaproval. _'You're sick.'_

Anko threw one of the needles at him, she missed. "Shut up." She felt light headed now and yet she was making sense of everything.

_'You're going to die this way.'_

She arched her neck and smiled "And this is your problem how?"

He squatted down in front of her _'Because I'm responsible for you now.'_

Anko's weary head shot up. That wasn't Itachi's voice but...

She blinked and held her eyes shut for a few seconds. The burning. The blood. She opened them again and it was Orochimaru who was squatting down in front of her. He was the one chastiseing her. He was the wearing Itachi's face.

He reached for her hand "You're coming with me."

Anko pushed against the wall, hoping to go through it. She leveled one of the bloody needles to his eye "Get away from me."

He scooted closer "Come on Anko."

She swung the needle at him and scrapped his cheek before he grabbed her. **"Get away from me."**

He pulled her into him "Now Anko."

She kicked him "GET AWAY FROM ME!"

He would regret what he was about to do. He slapped her with his free hand, hard enough so that her head did a 190 and stunned her into a semi coma. Stopping only to get the remaining two needles out of her arms, he picked her up and started carrying her to the medical ward. She needed Kabuto's help.

"What happened to her arms?" Sasuke yelled from down the hall. Orochmaru could only think of one reason why Anko would do this to herself.

"Itachi."

* * *

_**I am a total screw up**_

**_Sorry if this is crappy and short but Schools out in two more days and my brain is shutting down. I will try to post one more chapter of this if God shall allow it._**


	6. New arrangments

_'I miss Itachi."_

The restraints on her wrists and ankles burned like fire as she struggled with them. Her eyes were sore and her throat was raw from the hours of screaming. She was in a daze, her red tear glassed eyes were locked on the apprehension of a man she barely knew; her mind focused on nothing.

Itachi was watching her the whole time, sitting cross legged in a chair beside the bed that had gotten there somehow. He wondered as she silently if he had killed her like he should of, would she be like this? He didn't have too much time to relish that thought, Orochimaru was coming back. "I'm sorry."

She blinked and Orochimaru was in his place, she was scared and a small tear went down her scarrlet cheek. _'I miss Itachi.' _He wiped it off "Don't cry One-gai, this can't last forever."

She pulled away, from him, his touch, and reality.

He traced lazy patters over her neck with his fingers "I've already decided what I should do with you." he stated. Ankos stomach turned.

His fingers got lost in her hair, pressing into her scalp so that she couldn't fall asleep or concintrate on anything else but him. "I've decided," he said huskily. "that since you can't properly take care of yourself," his thumb rubbed her temple. She clenched her teeth. "that it would only be safe to keep you as far away from anything intimidating as possible."

Anko snorted, in releif and in realization "So what, you're going to make me a prisoner now?"

He leaned in but Anko didn't really notice "Not exactlly love."

She arched her neck so that she could read his eyes "Than what are you planning to do with me then-" Orochimaru's hot mouth caved in over hers. She tried to wiggle out from under him but he pressed down on her harder. At least she was able to keep her mouth closed from his tongue. She was losing air and her struggleing seized.

As soon as she stopped, he released her, panting lightly over her lips. He smirked and stood up "Your belongings have been moved into my quaters. Until I'm sure you can be trusted to be on your own you will remain there."

"Say what!"

He smiled and started to leave "It want be as bad as you think...as long as you wear clothes when you go to bed at least." he chuckled at her shocked expression and left. "I'll remove the restraints in the morning."

Anko pressed her head deeper into the pillow, sighing worriedly "I'm going to die."

* * *

Orochimaru's room was a mansion compared to the bedroom she had been living in previously. He had a kingsized bed with dark purple covers, a desk across from the bed and a large chester drawl, big enough for both their clothes plus more, a door and a bathroom door, and two nightstands on the sides of the bed.

All of the things, such as clothes and other personals, had been packed up and put in a corner of the room ealier. Anko would leave the unpacking for later since she didn't have too much.

She pulled her self up on to the bed for a better veiw. Not bad, it would be better if she wasn't sharing with Orochimaru though. Oh well, better than a prison cell at least.

She dropped back, rubbing her throbbing wrists as she did, and stared at the celling fan. It spun slowly, hypotaliclly, just like Itachi's eyes.

.'.'.'.'.

_"What is this place anyway?" she asked Itachi_

_'Tuskuyomi, or the nightmare realm." he stated simply._

_"Is this...Hell?"_

_To her surprise he chuckled, Itachi never seemed like someone who would laugh. "No, Hell is a real and vibrate place, this however is an illusion."_

_Anko fingered the holes in her hand "Doesn't seem like it." she grumbled._

_Suddenly his hands were over hers. 'Everything that you see through your eyes is and illusion,' his hands released hers and the holes were gone._

_'You just have to know how to tell them apart from reality.'_

.'.'.'.'.

She grimaced as she awakened from the dream "Everything is an illusion to me Itachi." she said as if he was there. She turned onto her side because the fan was off and she had no reason to look at a it anymore. To her slight surprise, Orochimaru was at his desk, looking through documents of some sort.

"Hey." she said out of no where. He looked up and nodded as his own greeting "Sleep well?" He sounded...angry

She got off the bed and walked to him "Yeah, beds pretty damn comfortable."

He smiled "Good, you'll be sleeping there for awhile."

He wasn't giving her eye contact, strange, he usually liked staring at her until she freaked out but it was like he was trying to advoid her. She arched an eyebrow curiously and leaned on his desk. "Look at me." she said.

He gave her two seconds and then looked down back. Anko growled and impussivley grabbed his neck "What are you doing?" He threw her back. She stumbled but managed not to hit the ground.

"Don't ever try making demands to me." he growled. He walked around her to leave. She watched him leave, confused at hurt. Part of her wanted to run after him and demand an explaination but the other part wanted to curl up and never see him again. What did she do wrong this time?

'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'

_Later_

Anko was putting her clothes away when Orochimaru came back in. She didn't even glance at him. He gulped and walked up behind her "I'm sorry about earlier."

Even though she was surprised by this sudden act of apolizing, she didn't press him into it. "It's fine, don't worry about it." she ducked past him.

"You don't even want to know why I hurt you?"

"Not really."

He sighed, seeing he wasn't going to get anywhere. "Fine. Listen it's late, I think we should turn in."

"You go ahead, I'm going to stay up for a while longer."

"No." Orochimaru said simply."

"No." Anko said "Look, you may decide where I live but you don't decide when I sleep or anything else."

"On the contrary I do." he stated, some of his old humor was returning "I'm making you stay in here with me because I don't want to have to drag you back into a medical wing, especully from something as stupid as suicide."

"Hey!" she dehended angerly "That wasn't my fault-"

"I sure, It must have been Itachi's."

She froze, how had he know about that?

He smirked, glad to be in control again. "Get to bed."

She straightend up and crossed her arms "I...I'm not going to sleep with you."

He laughed "I'm not going to try to rape you if that's what your worried about." he joked "I prefer the unexperienced type."

"...EXCUSE ME!"

"I like to teach young girls, I like to teach them a lot of things."

"..."

"Which side would you like?"

"...[twitch]..."

"Fine, Goodnight Anko." He got into bed and waited for her. She was still frozen in embarresment and anger.

Suddenly Orochimaru was turned onto his back, Anko glaring daggars at him "What the Hell was that suppose to mean?"

He chuckled "Your to beautiful to be a virgin."

Her expression changed from hate to surprise. He ruffled her hair "That's all I meant, now if you could please get your knee out of my stomach..."

She got off of him. He smiled at her one more time before turning onto his side.

"Bastard..." she mumbled. Still, it was nice to know that someone thought she was beautiful.

* * *

_**I am a total screw up**_

**_This is the worst chapter I've ever written! Ahhhhhhh! My stupid brain is shutting down as we speak...but with a few weeks off from writting I should be back and sharp as a whip!_**

**_TTFN _**


	7. He was there

Anko didn't know how long she had been in Orochimaru's hideaway, but it must have been a while since she was starting to feel right at home.

She had gotten use to sleeping in Orochimaru's room, even though she still laid down the law of what he was not allowed to do to her. Still, every other night when she woke up from with Itachi's laughter ringing in her ears, she would greatly welcome Orochimaru's comfort. Usually, he already had his arm around her waist and Anko would wrap it tighter around her and usually it kept the demons away long enough to help her fall back asleep. But on some nights, she would wake up with the old scars burning and she would hate herself and everything around her for not being able to prevent from getting the scars in the first place. She would snatch out of his protective hold and walk around the room, staring at him, pacing, anything to keep her control from breaking. She'd then retire to the futon across the room and watch Orochimaru's side lower and lift as he slept until she herself fell back asleep. She knew that he had been awake the whole time.

He always convinced her to go outside with him for a little while which surprised her. She had half expected to keep her locked up all day in the dreary hideout of him but he commented that she was losing too much color and that he didn't need her losing her mind from Claustrophobia.

It was a long shot, but Anko was starting to think that he was trying to give a damn. He went to great lengths to keep her safe, such as training Sasuke until he was too exhausted to come after her and locking their door at night, Anko thought it just had something to do with his possessive nature but she never questioned his tactics. It was just good to be with him like old times, to feel like she could at least try to be with him again. Their old bond was slowly re-building itself and she was too wrapped up to realize it.

She hated Kabuto though. He was a Martyr and love to scare and taunt her with 'questions' about her experience with Itachi. There wasn't much to tell and she made sure that she told him that, but she always had her back to him so that he couldn't see the fear on her face. But he hated her as well. He muttered quite a few times that she was more trouble than she was worth on account that she caused herself and Sasuke constant trips to the medical ward which kept him preoccupied from his work.

Sasuke however, was just plain difficult.

He hated her for everything: denying him Itachi's end, surviving the Tsukuyomi, living, everything and anything that he could think of.

Sometimes Anko would just be sitting down or not doing anything and he would burst into the room and try to choke her. Each time she would either knock him out or keep him occupied long enough for Kabuto to show up and sedate him. Every now and again she would look around and find him staring at her in a predatorily fashion. His arms would be crossed; hands clenched and curled up in his sleeves to resist another attack. His eyes were always so angry but there was something else in them, some kind of brokenness that she could relate to. If she didn't walk away first he would and their moment would be gone until next time.

She was currently lying on Orochimaru's bed, staring lazily at the Snake Sannin as he rummaged through the papers and scrolls on his desk. It was very late and both of them should have been asleep but that was a problem for most insomniac nutcases.

Anko laughed which caught his attention. "You can't read that much." She joked.

Orochimaru smiled, glad to have a distraction. "I'm actually looking for something."

Anko sat up, her legs hanging off the bed side. "Need some help?"

"I suppose, it concerns you after all."

"Excuse me?" Anko said as she walked to his desk.

"I had a copy of your medical history here somewhere but I seemed to misplace to."

Anko's' hand came down on top of his, pinning him to the desk. "What do you need **my **medical status for?" she asked.

He laughed and removed her hand from his "Just to check up on some things, such as any history with hallucinations. I just want to be sure that we don't have a repeat of the other night."

"I'm not crazy!" Anko exclaimed, angry and ashamed "This has never happened to me until you showed up in my life again!" she threw down a file she was holding and stormed off.

Orochimaru grabbed her arms before she could get too far, "Easy, easy." He cooed. He pulled her struggling form against him and rested his chin on her shoulder. "It's just a precaution love, nothing against you. You lose your temper too easily you know."

They stayed in that position for a moment, getting use to the feel of one another and taking in the scents of one another that never seemed to change [Anko smell of a hospital while Orochimaru smell of fresh dirt, respectively].

Orochimaru made a bold move and pressed his nose to her neck.

"What are you doing?" she growled.

His chuckle was a rumble against her back. "I was just imaging what was going through Itachi's' head when he had his hands around this pretty neck.  
Anko shot out of his grip and turned to him with a death stare. "Shut your mouth!"

"I may say whatever I want Anko, it's you who needs to be careful."

Ankos hands rolled up into tight fists and she tried to resist punching him. She could feel the old scars on her wrists burn as her hands twisted up harder. She really wished she had a knife of some sort to cut Orochimaru up with as well as herself but every time she looked at the gleaming blade of a knife, she could see Itachi's eyes reflect off it.

"Fuck you." Was all she could manage.

Orochimaru reached out and touched her neck softly. His grip suddenly tightened and he pulled her to him again. "That's one of the best suggestions you've ever had."

Anko saw his expression had just enough time to dodged his lips but they landed on her neck, which wasn't a problem for him at all. She was then pushed against the desk, she put her hands against it to keep herself up but Orochimaru kept trying to push her down.

"Knock it off!" she pulled her legs under him and kicked him off. Orochimaru hit the wall with very little force. He stayed hunched over for a moment, like a corpse rising from the dead.

"What the Hell is wrong with you!" Anko yelled at him disgustedly. When he didn't answer, she stormed away to the bathroom.

The first thing she did was examined her neck in the mirror. She was surprised to see bite marks scattered over her skin, she was surprised that she didn't feel them in the first place. "Vampirism moron." She muttered, starting the shower. She undressed and stepped into the warm water, cleaning the dried blood off.

She heard the faint sound of the door opening and someone enter in and close it. "It's occupied." She stated, knowing who it was.

"You're under suicide watch remember?" his voice was bitterer, he was probably angry at her kicking him.

"Oh yeah, I'm going to try myself with the shower curtain oh no!" She mocked, laughing at her own strange joke before becoming serious again. "Look, sorry for hurting you but you seriously asked for it."

He smirked from his place on the wall. "I was curious."

"Not too much to be curious about." She said.

"On the contrary there is, you're very interesting to observe whether you want to be or not."

"You are a damn snake." She muttered.

"You are my prey after all."

Anko scratched her wet hair in annoyance "I'm…not your anything."

"Would you like to be?"

Anko was quiet. She as slightly surprised that he would ask such a meaningful question to her. Maybe he was playing with her, but he sounded so sincere…..

Still, it wouldn't matter. She wasn't going to be here much longer if she could help it.

She turned off the water so that Orochimaru could hear her clearly. "I swam through those waters once and almost drowned. I 'm never going back."

She was responded with silence. "Orochimaru?" she called out. He must of left. She shrugged and reached out of the shower curtain for the towel that usually hung there. She felt the soft material and tried to pull it to her but it was caught up by something. She gave it a hard yank and…..Orochimaru fell on top of her.

"What the Hell?" she exclaimed, pissed off that he was against her **naked **skin.

"I was going to help you out-"

"Get off me before I cut your damn hands off!"

He stared at her for a while; his analyzing eyes seeing in her beautiful broken ones. It surprised him how someone with so much damage could be so spirited and hardcore like her. Orochimaru loved watching people break; in fact it was a hobby. That was part of his reason for bringing her here, to watch her do that exact same thing she had done back in the hospital. Break.

The way she did it was a major turn on: the way her body bounced and shifted from the nightmares, the way her pulsed died out and increased, the way she dug her nails too deep into her own skin and made herself bleed, all of that was enough to drive him insane with need and want. Not just need and want to watch her break, but both to get closer to the thing that drove him most insane. That broken body of hers.

He gripped her shoulders and kept her pinned to the wall.

"Yeah, get off!"

He leaned back some and Anko watched a smile form on his face as his eyes wondered up and down her scarred form.

He memorized each cut, and every dark bruise that was taking to long to heal. One of his hands slid down to a dark brown one next to her belly-button. Anko jerked and squired but Orochimaru was able to contain her with only one hand.

Anko stopped struggling when she felt an icy warm feeling spread over her abdominal. She moaned as she felt a second of pain and then the sensation disappear. She looked down at the place he was still touching; his hand was covering a clear patch skin, one of the few parts of her that was truly healed.

"…Thanks…" was all she could think to come of with. How could she thank him for his strange tactics?

He kissed her why she was still thinking. She gasped but couldn't move due to the lack of space he was allowing. She breathed uneasily through her nose and tried to calm down; she could hear her own heartbeat pulsating through her ears. She was scared but Orochimaru didn't seem to want to hurt her, not intently at least.

She slowly returned his light affections, still worried that it would end in disaster. His frame lifted off of her slightly so that she could move more. She thanked him for this by wrapping her arms around his waist.

He smiled and added pressure to their kisses.

It felt good but then she tasted blood and began freaking out. "Stop." She whispered against him. He must have misheard her for he trailed from her lips to her neck.

She moaned softly and tried to focus on him but when she looked up her mind went into total fear attack.

Itachi was standing in front of the closed door, the steam in the room making him look a ghost. Oh wait…

He glared dangerously at her, his face screwed in a way that made him look disgusted; his attention switched to Orochimaru since he couldn't find the strength to look at her anymore_**. "Make him get off you."**_

She opened her mouth but she couldn't get the words out. Itachi's expression changed to intense anger and he turned stepped forward with the full intention of killing someone clear on his face.

"Stop!" she screamed to Itachi; but instead Orochimaru shot up. "What is it?" since she wasn't giving her eye contact, he took her face in his hand and she threw him back. He stumbled away from her but managed not to fall back.

Unknown to him, he landed at Itachi's feet which caused Anko to squeal slightly out of fear.

Orochimaru arched up and looked around for what was causing her distress. He didn't see Itachi for some reason…

Itachi smiled at her reassuringly. _**"That's more like it…"**_ and he faded with the steam.

She didn't understand. He's suppose to be dead, why was he there? She sunk to the floor and sulked on her fears.

Soon enough she saw Orochimaru leave, leaving Anko alone, cold and scared out of her mind.

'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'

Orochimaru laid out on his bed, getting lost in the designs on his ceiling.

He wondered if it would always be like that, him wanting something and yet not being able to have it because the consequences would affect him to much.

That wasn't suppose to be a problem though, he was use to getting what he wanted because most people were too afraid to deny him it, and if they did, the poor bold souls, he would take it by force and be done with it.

But he couldn't bring himself to take her by force. It had been set in his mind many times, like at the hospital. She had been so venerable, he could have taken her then and no one would have every known. But something had stopped him, some invisible force kept him from hurting her, despite how he had wanted, and still wanted to.

Ever since he had found her in that closest, shaking, bleeding, and dying with needles in her arm, the urge to be around had grown tremendously.

Most nights we would stay awake for hours and watch her twit and turn from the nightmares that never seemed to stop. She was always sweating and moaning in pain and every other night saying someone's name. It was usually his or, to Orochimaru's' not much surprise, Itachi's.

'_Itachi…Itachi please stop looking at me like that…I didn't….Itachi please stop doing this…..'_

If she didn't wake up screaming, she would wake up sobbing and he would be unsatisfied but would try to coo her back to sleep.

He wanted her blood, to hear her scream, to sleep peacefully beside him and then jolt up shrieking. He wanted to see the skin where her sweat was coming from. He wanted to experiment with something completely different for once.

But at the same time, he wanted her to be happy. He wanted her to laugh, to sleep without the nightmares every other night. He wanted her to want to be with him.

He turned to the bathroom where Anko was exiting. He turned away so that she would have privacy to get dressed. Neither one of them said anything to one another, despite how much there was to be said.

She walked to the bed; she was wearing baggy white sleeping shorts and a black t-shirt. She laid down her usually distance from him. He glanced at her but looked away when she looked at him. He cleared his throat but couldn't think of anything to say.

"Awkward." Anko sang. The humor in her voice indicated that everything was alright between them.

"I don't regret what I did." He said simply. The only thing he did regret was not doing it sooner.

"I know." She said. "Still, I never thought you'd be the rapist type."

He laughed "I told you I like young girls didn't I? If they don't obey than it's best to convince them."

"I wasn't very convinced." She said, strangely she found a lot of humor in the situation.

"That's because you're experienced." He pointed out. "You've been everywhere and done everything and any-" he was caught off by the pillow Anko was trying to smother him with.

"Shut up you demented pervert!"

He grabbed her arms and forced her off of him, causing her to somehow sit in his lap. She glared at him as he held her thighs down.

"Get your hands…off me."

He grinned down at her, his hands slid up and down her legs and then tried to get under her pants but Anko would not allow such actions. She locked her legs together which stopped him from getting further. "I thought you only taught young girls." She growled looking into his eyes.

"Now that I think about it, twenty-three isn't all that old."

"…twenty-four." Anko said bitterly.

"My my, you're all grown up now aren't you.' He made another attempt at her neck but Anko dodged his lips each time. "Let me go."

"Why?"

"Why? What the Hell do you mean why? I am not about to… have sex with you."

"Why not, it could be fun."

"….Orochimaru." she warned in a whispered tone "If you are not off me in two seconds, I'm going to grab the knife under my pillow and cut the thing that causes your next generation off."

Orochimaru jumped to the other side of the bed.

"Thank you." She turned her back to him so that he couldn't see the look of desire on her face. She was able to conceal the shiver going down her spine but not the sweat that had gathered at her neck and shoulders. "Just….go to sleep now," she said, her voice shaking slightly.

Orochimaru smirked at Anko's form. He could feel the ecstasy radiating off of her. He wanted her right then and there.

He reached out to touch her side but Anko was facing him a second later, leaning up slightly so that they closer. She had a kunai to his throat. She chuckled at his irritated expression, leaning down and whispering to him. "When I want to have sex with you, I'll do this again okay?"

Orochimaru's expression turned to one of dumbfoundment. "So you're interested…" he mused, enjoying the feeling of Anko's light frame on top of him. She laughed gently, circling the kunai dangerously around his temple. "No."

He frowned as she got off of him. He turned over and his side and stared at her head. He couldn't stop staring at her. After a moment, he reached out and gently touched her hair; she flinched but was quiet and turned towards him. She was asleep, which meant that he could take advantage of the whole situation.

But instead, he chose to watch her sleep.

For the moment, her hair, loose from its ponytail, was cascading down over parts of her place, giving her a worn out and glossy appearance. Her skin was smooth and slightly orange on behalf of the lamp shining down on her from Orochimaru's side. Her breathing was stilled and low, indicating that she was having a peaceful sleep. Orochimaru couldn't help but smile, knowing that she would sleep tonight reassured him for some odd reason.

.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'

"Here"

Anko watched a pale hand slid a glass of orange juice in front of her. She looked up and stared at Sasuke in surprise. He left the kitchen after that without giving her a second look. Just as he left, Kabuto entered and sat a prescription pill bottle beside her glass. She picked it up and examined it. "What the Hell is it?"

"Klonopin Ora" he stated. "It's just something to help with the Hallucinations you've been having."

Anko threw the pill bottle across the room. "No fucking way."

Kabuto sighed agitatedly and picked it up, slamming it back down in front of her. "Trust me, I'd like to watch you lose your mind but it's Lord Orochimaru's orders."

Anko snorted. "Lord Orochimaru." She mused mockingly. "If you ask me, that man likes playing God like little girls like playing dress up."

"But no one did ask you." Orochimaru said entering the kitchen

Kabuto gulped as his master brushed past him, whispering "Thanks for the support." The medical nin bowed his head in shame.

Anko smirked and took another sip of her juice. A few seconds later, Orochimaru took a seat across from him with a black coffee mug. He stared at the bottle of pills beside Anko's orange juice glass. "I see Kabuto gave you your medicine." He paused to take a sip from his mug. "You'll have to take two every time you try to sleep."

"I'm not taking the pills." She stated simply.

"You will if you want to stop seeing Itachi everywhere." Kabuto hissed as he caused a hissing sound from the stove.

Anko slammed her hands on the table and stood up to face him. "Will you shut up about Itachi already!" she screamed, causing the two men in the room to get into a fighting stance.

"You think I'm enjoying this? Well I'm not, I want it all to go away so that I can get my damn life back in one piece, but I'm not going to do drugs again to do it!"

For the next few moments, all that could be heard was the sound of the stove cooking something and Anko's heavy breathing as she calmed down. She sat back down and slouched in her chair, staring at the ceiling thoughtfully.

"Again?"

The group turned to see Sasuke leaning against the door frame. For once he didn't look like he wanted to kill Anko; he just looked interested in what she had just said. "You just said you weren't going to use drugs **again **to solve your problems, you did them once before?"

Everyone turned back to Anko for an explanation. She looked at each one of the faces and scoffed "I don't have to tell any of you a thing!" she grabbed the pill bottle and threw it at Sasuke but it hit the wall beside his head instead. He didn't even flinch which caused Anko's fury to rise more.

She stormed out of the room without a second word or glance at anyone. She trudged down the hallways gritting her teeth and cursing everyone to Hell and back. She was about to return to her room when she saw something move around a corner.

"Hello?" she called out. It just then accrued to her that she hadn't seen anyone else in the hideout other than Orochimaru, Kabuto, and Sasuke. Maybe there were guards that she didn't know about. She took a step forward but stopped. Was it really worth worrying about?

She scoffed and went back to her room, probably not. As she laid down for a nap, she remembered a time when there was something else that wasn't worth her time.

_Fourteen year old Anko walked through the dusty streets of Konoha, not practically looking for anything to do. She stared tiredly ahead, not paying attention nor caring of what was there._

"'_Found 'em in my mom's medicine cabinet. She gets knew ones every week so she won't even know they're gone."_

_Anko stopped and looked impassively at a group of boys in an alley. One, who seemed to be the leader figure, was holding up a backpack full of prescription bottles of all sorts. _

"_I don't know man," another boy said._

"_Look, you told your parents that you'd be with me all day so they won't suspect anything, just-" _

"_How much?"_

_The group turned to Anko who was leaning against one of the walls, staring mesmerized at the bag of drugs. The group leader put the bag down. "Look girl if you tell any-"_

"_I just asked how much they were." She cut in. _

_The group exchanged glances and the leader stepped forward."I'll sell you three pills for five dollars."_

"_That's not even enough to cure a headache." She scoffed. The man smirked. "How 'bout I give you ten and you give me…something else." His eyes wondered up and down her developing form and he got some ooh's and ah's and mocking chuckles from the group._

_Anko smiled patently said "I'll give you twenty for a whole bottle and let you leave with your dick."_

_The group burst out into rants and smacked the leader on the back. He scowled at Anko and thrust a bottle into her hands, holding his other out for the money Anko owed him. She smirked and gave him the paper cash. "Pleasure doing business with you."_

_As she left the alley, pill bottle in plain sight, she passed by a young boy, not much taller than her. He glanced at her, and mainly at the object in her hand but said nothing. _

_She never gave much thought to the impact this person had on her ten years later._

_Anko went straight to her room and closed the door. She sat down on her bed and stared at the bottle of…hmm, how kinky, ecstacy. She popped the cap open and stared at the red tinted pills. There was no emotion on her face at all, no thoughts in her head except how appetizing the pills looked. She sighed and…_

_threw the pills away._

"_Total waste twenty bucks." She muttered as she went to her kitchen to get some __**real **__food. Just as she opened to refrigerator, someone knocked desperately on her door. She opened it and…._

"_Don't do it."_

_Anko stared at the stranger in confusion and fear. "What?"_

_The boy with the sad, Sharingan plagued eyes gently grasped her shoulders and whispered terrifyingly "Don't let it end like this…."_

_She pushed him back. There was something familiar about him. "What are you talking about?"_

"_I saw you." He said._

'…_Oh. He must have been one of those guys in the alley.' She thought. "Relax punk, I threw the pills away. I lost my taste for them about a month ago."_

_He seemed to be relieved. "That's good. How?"_

_She smirked at the thought of giving this boy advice. It seemed so unnatural that she was giving out counseling all of a sudden. _

"_I…the last time I bought drugs illegally, I overdosed and had to be dragged to the hospital by some idiot who broke into my house. It was stupid and I hated how I looked when I woke up that morning." She shrugged "I don't really know, they just didn't taste good after that." _

"_That's good to know."_

_She laughed softly. "I suppose."_

_They stood in silence until the heat began bothering them. "You…want to come in."_

_He shook his head. "I have to be somewhere soon. But maybe some other time okay?"_

"_Yeah…"_

"_**I'll kill you some other time okay?"**_

Anko awaked with a jerk and the warmth of another person drowning her.

"It's alright." Orochimaru said as he stuck a pill in Anko's mouth. She struggled when she felt the horrible taste but was too tired and suffocated to move. She calmed down some when he pressed a cool water glass to her lips.

"See, now that wasn't so bad. And you were making such a fuss before." He was joking but Anko didn't seem to comprehend anything at the moment. She was staring wide-eyed down at her shaky and scarred arms.

"I…I killed Itachi."

Orochimaru looked at her with surprised eyes. What was with her sudden randomness?

Her hands balled into fists and the scars bulged out. "I killed him…I killed him with out a second thought."

Her shaking increased and Orochimaru let his hand hover over her back. "Anko…"

A sob broke through her throat and she curled into a tight ball, her fists directly in her face. "My hands…" she wept "I…can't get his blood…off my hands…" she sunk back into the mattress and cried, most of her sobs muffled by her arms.

Orochimaru couldn't think, seeing her like this made his train of thought swing of course. What caused all of these sudden outbursts? Either she was sicker than he thought or his former student had developed one Hell of a bipolar breakdown somewhere along the line.

He touched the small of her back gently, hesitating. "Anko," he wrapped his arms around her stomach and laid down beside her. Sasuke's words ran through his head _'I'll tell her, I need to tell her.' _He was just as a Martyr as he was. It would have been easier on her to tell her now but the arrangement they were in at the moment seemed better.

"Anko…it's okay…it…wasn't intentional, I'm sure it wasn't…" he felt her lean into him and he was glad that she was listening to him. "Shhh…"

Neither one of them realized that the rest of the day passed by, but then again, neither one of them cared because it was just them.

They were both wrapped up in a world of pain and had no plans to leave it.

_**People of the world, HEAR ME!**_

_**What the Heck is going on with all these teenage pregnancies! Two girls in my school were pregnant when they graduated last year!**_

_**Save your sexual intentions for marriage, it'll be worth it! **_


	8. Don't fret Precious

___Don't fret precious I'm here._

"_**Anko… open your eyes…I'm right here…."**_

_Step away from the window._

"Itachi….." Anko whispered. She sat up and there he was at the foot of the bed, waiting for her. Itachi looked terrible. His hair was dirty and out of place, his clothes were torn and covered with dried blood and his skin, he didn't even look human. Itachi was now a corpse labored with cuts and gashes.

She looked down at her companion who was fast asleep beside her.

"_**Don't worry about him, just come with me."**_

He disappeared after saying that, but somehow Anko knew he was still there. Wasn't he supposed to be in the morgue? She hesitantly stepped out of bed and crept out of Orochimaru's room.

"_**Anko."**_

She turned, Itachi was standing at the end of the hallway, motioning for her to follow him. _**"This way."**_

_Gulp. _"What do you want-"

"_**Shhhh!" **_

"How are you here?" she whispered "I saw them, I saw you, you were dead…"

"You…." Her voice trailed off when Itachi's damaged finger pads touched her cheek. He felt so warm but there was an iciness hidden somewhere under his skin. She made the mistake of looking into his eyes, his dead, evil eyes.

He leaned into her and whispered _**"I'm the only one for you now."**_

_Go back to sleep _

"Itachi…" All she could see then was red bloodied skies littered with black clouds. "Where am I?" she asked him. The grin he gave her scared intensely.

"_**It doesn't matter, it's just us." **_

He was still kneeling down in front of her; his scared fingertips now abasing her face. _**"It's just us….." **_He truly was insane.

Anko stood up and moved back "Itachi, you're scaring me ."

He frowned _**"This place,"**_ he stated, changing the subject _**"…I…I made it for us…it's just for me and you."**_

Anko shook her head "Itachi, look this is…" she looked around at the grim area of red and black. "Pleasant…but…something's wrong about all of this…." She didn't like what she was about to say. "You're not supposed to be here. I'm not supposed to be here ."

_Safe from pain _

"_**No one can hurt you here." **_He said, completely blocking out what she just said

_and truth _

"_**Orochimaru can't lie to you anymore." **_

"I don't see what Orochimaru has to do with this Itachi." She said.

"_**He claimed he wanted to help you,"**_ Itachi stated. _**"He only wanted to watch you bleed."**_

"Itachi…" she groaned

"_**How long do you think it will be before he tears you apart completely? At least here, he can never hurt you."-**_

"Look," she said reassuringly "I'm not going to be around him much longer. Your….partner showed up, I'm going to ask him if he could help me get out of there-"

_and choice _

Itachi grabbed her and gave her arms a rough squeeze.

"Itachi…" Anko gasped, unaccustomed to his rough ways.

"_**Stay with me." **_He whispered. Only then did Anko notice his eyes, his hate filled bloodied eyes.

"Let me go." She ordered, her voice was steady but somewhere deep inside she was shaking.

He smirked and his teeth were blood stained. His breath reeked of it as well. _**"I don't think so."**_

_and other poison devils,_

The tip of a sharp blade began to make its way into Anko's abdominal; she was careful not to breathe. She grabbed his wrist "Why are you doing-" a sea of blood exited her throat, cutting her sentence off. The taste mixed with the blood was familiar.

"You did…. 

"_**Poisoned." He smirked "It's not like Orochimaru wouldn't have done the same-"**_

She coughed harshly and stooped to the- there was no ground under them. She grunted and heaved the blade out; a waterfall of red liquid soon followed.

He crouched down and stuck a finger in Anko's wound. She twitched at the feeling. Itachi lifted his finger to his mouth. _**"Sweet…." **_

He looked just like Orochimaru right then.

_You see, they don't give a fuck about you…._

"_**He could have done so much worse."**_

"What!" she choked out

"_**Back in those days, Orochimaru would have killed you without a second thought, wouldn't he?"**_

"I…"

Itachi whispered carefully _**"He never cared. You were just a way to past the time-"**_

"Shut up!"

Anko pushed Itachi away so that he stumbled backwards. _**"Am I wrong?" **_It was not a question.

"You don't know anything about him!" Anko screamed, holding her clotting stomach.

He grinned "_**You have no idea."**_

_Like I do. _

There was a third presence with them, this one stronger than her but weaker that Itachi's.

"Sasuke?"

_Go back to sleep  
_

The younger Uchiha approached her, the malice of vengeance in his eyes.

She looked back at Itachi but he was gone…but he had said…

Anko's chin was suddenly yanked up and she was forced to make eye contact. She wasn't sure what she saw after that.

_Go back to sleep _

The second Anko woke up, she threw the covers off of and ran to the morgue. How she found it was still beyond belief. It didn't matter to her that she was only in her pajamas.

She pushed the heavy metal door open and skipped down the steps and stopped dead in her tracks when she saw who was leaning over Itachi's decaying body.

"You…"

The tall Akatsuki member turned to her "Me."

_I'll be the one to protect you from your enemies and all your demons  
_

Kisame zipped the body bag back up so that Anko couldn't see Itachi. He then laughed and said "Hallucinations are a crazy thing, Hmmm...Anko was it?"

"Hallucinations?" Anko asked, confused and slightly terrified.

Kisame turned to face her whole "The sauce on the dango I gave you the other day was mixed with a power called LSD-"

"You **DRUGGED** me!" she screamed.

Kisame clamped his hand over her mouth. "Be quiet I don't need anyone else knowing I'm here. Yeah, I drugged you, but the drug was suppose to help you relax…now go crazy."

Anko pushed him away and continued her scolding. "I can't believe you! Why the hell did you do something so selfish to a total stranger!"

"…I thought it would funny."

Anko resisted the urge to jump on Kisame and choke him. Funny, Hell no it wasn't funny! She almost killed herself, and those weird dreams….Hell no! Not funny at all!

"Look you…over sized sushi stand!" she growled. She breathed in a little and eyed him sternly "I need your help."

_I'll be the one to protect you from a will to survive and a voice of reason_

"Oh ho ho." Kisame sang, leaning casually against the cold chambers "This is a surprise, you seem to be able to handle yourself perfectly." He eyed the bandages on her arms.

She hid her arms behind her back to get Kisame focused. "I need to get out of here." She said in a deadly sort of way.

Kisame's amused expression changed to that of worry "Why?"

"Well," Anko tried to explain "Things are just too… hectic here for me here."

Kisame chuckled "Look girly, I'm sure the delusions were a little messed up but it's nothing to worry about. The drugs should be out of your system in another day or so-"

"It's not the drugs!" Anko shouted, her voice getting higher "It's…it's…" she walked around as she looked for the right words "It's…everything!" Those will work.

"Anko-"

"I can't stand the fact knowing that I'm in the place where Itachi's corpse is being held. I'm sick of everyone, especially the ass Sasuke, reminding me that Itachi is dead because of me."

She grabbed his cloak "Get me out of here!"

_I'll be the one to protect you from your enemies and your choices won  
_

"**What's going on down there?"**

Kisame and Anko froze and listened, oh shit Kabuto's coming.

Kisame grabbed Anko "If you're coming with me than you better put on hell of a pep in that step LET'S GO!"

He dragged her back up the stairs hoping to get out before the Medical Nin showed up. Too late.

"Kisame let me go!" Anko ordered as Kisame kicked open the door. They both stiffened.

Kabuto stared at the two with his mouth slightly agape, his right eyebrow drawn up in a way that made him looked terrified and confused. Orochimaru and Sasuke were standing behind him, both looking more angry than shocked.

Kisame looked at Anko then back at Kabuto and then back to Anko. He grabbed her shoulders and pushed her to him "TAKE THE GIRL!"

"Ah!" Anko landed into Kabuto's arms.

Kisame sped around all of them and fled down the halls, his Akatsuki robe flowing out behind him, exclaiming the whole way "THEY AIN'T FIXING TO GET ME THEY AIN'T FIXING TO GET ME!"

_They're one in the same, I must isolate you…  
_

"Gah!" Kabuto cursed. He pushed Anko off of him but made sure she remained on her feet. "I'll get him."

"Thanks for the Help you over sized popsicle fish!" Anko screamed after Kisame. She growled and turned around, only to be met two pairs of angry, annoyed eyes.

_Isolate and save you from yourself …_

Anko smiled sheepishly "Hey…Sensei, Sasuke…nice night huh?"

"In my room." Orochimaru ordered

"Huh-"

"**Now."**

Anko dropped her head and cursed as she walked past Orochimaru "I'm going to murder that whale."

_**I am a total screw up**_

_**This is all I can give you for now. I'm going to finish this story before I work on 'Martyrs' and 'Cure Me'.**_

_**The words in italics are belong to the song 'Counting Bodies like sheep'**_

_**I'm glad to be back.**_


	9. Breaking point

"He was here **twice **and you didn't bother to say or do anything!"

Anko flinched; the walls seemed to rattle as Orochimaru continued to yell at her. Sasuke was in the corner of the bedroom; Anko didn't know if he was enjoying her defeat or if he actually felt sorry for her.

"Look he-"

"Don't say another word." Orochimaru snarled. He looked at Sasuke "Sasuke leave us, I want to talk to Anko alone for a moment."

Sasuke nodded and left solemnly.

'_Guess he didn't want any witnesses.' _Anko thought worriedly.

She and Orochimaru sat in silence for a few moments. He was trying to calm down but each time he thought about that man….that creature being in his house, the urge to break Anko in half grew. But, he couldn't kill her just yet; he still had plans for her, questions that needed to be answered.

"Anko," Orochimaru started calmly.

Anko eyed him suspiciously "Hmm?"

The snake sannin hid a smile behind his hands "Do you feel guilty about killing Itachi?"

Anko's entire body jolted forward. She gulped and made herself calm down.

'…_Yes….'_

"I…no. No I don't. What happened happened, it can't be changed." She said finally.

"Oh." Orochimaru said casually. "Then you may go back to bed then."

Anko nodded, she would do anything to get away from the subject; she had had enough of Itachi for one day. She still felt Orochimaru's eyes on her back as she situated herself.

"You'll enter a guilt trip eventully." He said

'_**Too late!'**_Itachi laughed.

.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,,.,.,.

_The next morning_

Sasuke gritted his teeth as he dodged Orochimaru's hits and throws. He felt Anko's presentence behind him and it was driving him crazy. He wanted to jump out of the arena and grab her by the throat and pull out her esophagus. Crazy bitch, having one of those Akatsuki in their hideout, God knows what he did. Not to mention waking him up to the point where he couldn't get back to sleep that night. She would regret that.

Sasuke grabbed Orochimarus' wrist and twisted it so that they were closer. "I need to be excused." He said in an urgent whisper. He threw Orochimaru off before questions could be asked. The young Uchiha dashed out of the arena to where he knew Anko was but skid to a halt when he saw the upper arena was vacant. Ankos' chakra was disappearing right in front of him.

'_Where did that damn woman go?'_

.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,,.,.,._  
_

Fear. Pain. Want. Need. So many emotions to learn at one time.

Anko was standing on the damaged roof of Orochimarus' hideout, cold wind blow over her hair and face; she barely felt it though because Itachis' ice old hands were roaming her body. She was too shocked to try and make him stop or breathe, all she could do was stare ahead, shake, and listen.

"_**Anko, I want you to do something for me."**_

Anko shuddered as one of his cut up hands ran over her jaw _**"You WILL do this for me, won't you?" **_He sounded so innocent….

"What do you want me to do?" she sobbed quietly. She felt him smirk against her neck and something warm trickled down her neck, she was pretty sure that it was blood.

"_**Kill Orochimaru."**_

"But…"

His dry finger skin dug into her throat, not in an abusive way but more of a soothing/ this is not your choice way.

"_**Kill Orochimaru."**_

"But…I….Itachi, I don't want to."

He slipped something into her hand. _**"I'm sorry that this hurts you Anko, but this is the only way."**_

A violent shiver ran through Anko as the wind picked up again; it was strong enough to bring her to her knees.Itachis' voice faded as she fell. She looked at the object that Itachi had given her. It was his heart, still beating.

"_**Please Anko…..do this for me. Anko…..Anko?"**_

"ANKO!"

Anko jerked up as a hard shoe hit her side. "Will you wake up already?"

She looked around franticly but there was nothing to be frantic about. Other than she and Sasuke, the roof was completely deserted. As she stood, she caught a glimps of gray storm clouds rolling in. How ironic, there was a storm raging inside her and there was one brewing above her.

She looked at the Uchiha warily "Was that really necessary?" she groaned.

"Come with me." He replied. He walked off the roof, looking back only once to make sure she was following.

Anko sighed and stood "Now what does he want?" She knew going with him would lead to another fight but denying him would be just as dangerous. She reluctantly followed him back into the hideout, the Hell hole that held too many horrors.

As the two silently made their way down the never ending corridors, Ankos' brain began making small connections and firing signals. She was walking with Itachi's brother!

Anko gasped when that thought entered her head; Sasuke looked back at her but turned away when he saw that she was fine. "I need to show you something." He said. They rounded a corner and wound up in front of the autopsy room, much to Anko's displeasure.

Sasuke opened the large metal door and waited for her to enter but Anko shook her head and stepped away.

He growled and held his hand out. "Come on." He ordered

"I'm not going back in there." She insisted.

Sasuke stared at her coldly for a moment, his black eyes digging past her brown ones. Suddenly he grabbed her arm and pulled her forward "I said come on."

She struggled against his rough grip for a moment before slinging her free arm right into his jaw. She heard a crack and a cry from him before he released her.

She crawled back until she reached the opposite wall and watched as blood spilled from Sasuke's clamped hand. He looked up and glared at her manically. A grunt of some sort escaped his throat and he staggered towards her.

Anko's eyes widened. The way he was bent over, blood on his hands, that look in his eyes…..he looked just like Itachi.

"_**You have some hair over your eyes."**_

His fingers were inches away from her right eyes.

"_**Let me help you with that."**_

Sasuke grabbed her bangs and pulled her away from the wall. Anko kept herself from walking in order to slow him down but he was still able to get her the door entrance.

"Sasuke!"

He threw her head first down the steps. She rolled over and over again until she finally stopped on the hard, cold cement floor. Her head was banging and she felt warm blood flow down her cheek. She opened her tired eyes and saw the blurry outline of Sasuke's body. Then the body moved and she was left in the darkness alone with Itachi's corpse somewhere near by.

.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,,.,.,.

Kabuto eyed Sasuke closely as he put the top back on the Morphine. Sasuke's had come to him with a fractured jaw but no explanation of how he had gotten it. Kabuto already had his mind set on Anko but he couldn't be too sure. After all, Sasuke was supposed to train with Orochimaru today, he could have as easily caused Sasuke's injury than anyone else.

"So," Kabuto said as he sat down in front of Sasuke "Was it Orochimaru or Anko?"

Sasuke grabbed Kabuto's wrist and squeezed it, almost to the breaking point. He leveled his face to Kabuto's and growled "If you even **dream **about this, I will kill and feed your organs to the prisoners downstairs." Sasuke's voice was muffled from the morphine putting his jaw to sleep but he was loud enough to get the message released him with a shove and left the room.

Kabuto rubbed his sore wrist "Defiantly Anko."

.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,,.,

The door to the autopsy room open and Sasuke stepped in. His jaw was burning but he mentally numbed the pain out. "Anko?" he whispered. He received no answer; he knew that she couldn't have gotten out though, that's why he had thrown her down the stairs.

He crept deeper into the room quietly but there was no sign of Anko at all. He searched the wall and felt the light switch. It only stayed on for a moment before blowing out with a loud pop.

He used his shadingun as a last resort. Amazingly enough, there wasn't each a trace of her presence; it was like she had never been in that room.

'_Where did she-'_

Sasuke was forced to the ground as a heady object slammed against his head. For a moment he was paralyzed, unable to turn and identify the person who had beat him.

Anko dropped the bloody tool tray a bare inch from Sasuke's head. She bent down beside him and whispered "Don't mess with the woman who killed Itachi Uchiha, 'kay?"

She smirked and started to leave.

"It wasn't you."

Anko kept walking but said back to him. "What?"

Sasuke coughed out a small amount of blood "You didn't kill him."

Anko stopped "Who?"

"Itachi. That's why I brought you here, he died of Tuberculosis….he reached his limit, he….." Sasuke was beginning to black out, but the message had been sent. Anko knew the truth.

And she was mad as hell.

If Sasuke were able to see her with his Shardingun, he would see that her chakra was spewing, her face was screw in an impassive haze of lost emotion. Her fist were swelled together tightly, ready to punch something.

Orochimaru.

Sasuke's head was suddenly jerked up from its blood puddle. "Did Orochimaru know?" Anko asked him sinisterly.

"I-" Anko tugged at his hair harder, arching his neck back almost to the breaking point. "Did. He. Know?"

"Y-yes." Sasuke managed to stutter out. He was not afraid of Anko, but he was in so much pain that he would do anything she said. "We found out the day of the autopsy."

Orochimaru. That bastard had been playing her the whole time.

….

"_Do you feel guilty about Itachi's death."_

She had lied. Killing Itachi and not remembering how had been the most difficult thing she had had to deal with up to this point in her life.

"_**I want you to do something for me. I want you to kill Orochimaru. I'm sorry that this hurts you Anko but it's the only way. Please Anko…..do this for me."**_

"I will…..I'm ready."

….

Anko practically threw Sasuke's head back down. More blood gushed out as a result.

Sasuke heard the abnormally loud sound of Anko running up the steel steps. "Anko?" he called out. Was she really going to just leave him there?

He heard the door creek as it was opened.

"Anko!"

Her laugh echoed through the room. "Bye Sasuke."

The door slammed with a click; Sasuke was locked away in the dark as Anko had always been.

.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,,.,

Outside the base, the storm clouds were mixing in with the nighttime sky. The storm had erupted. And so did the one in Anko.


	10. Taken over

Kabuto put his last test tub away. He was finally finished with his work for that day and was about to turn in for the night. Or so he thought.

"Kabuto," Orochimaru said from the door. "Have you seen Sasuke, he disappeared after training and he's not in any of the rooms."

"Did you check the cameras?"

Orochimaru glared at him sourly "Have you see, him or not!"

"Sorry." He apologized "Uh yes, he came in here earlier with a fractured jaw. I thought at first maybe it was from sparing but-"

"A fractured jaw!"

"Yes…I…thought it was from you but then…Lord Orochimaru are you alright?" Kabuto asked when he saw Orochimaru's' eyes.

Orochimaru looked up at Kabuto with a worried and slightly angry expression. He turned his back to him, ready to leave. "Check all the rooms; I'm going to re- check the surveillance-"

There was loud buzzing sound echoed throughout the room and beyond, once it stopped, the room was engulfed in complete darkness.

Orochimaru heard Kabuto curse and then the sound of glass clanking together; he almost blinded him with the flashlight he pulled out.

"The storm," Kabuto said "It probably knocked out a fuse. The backup generators should cut on any minute now."

Orochimaru looked down the murky hallways. He had a different theory.

He snatched the flashlight out from Kabuto's hands "Go see what happened, I'm going to try and locate Sasuke and Anko. When you're done join me in the search."

Kabuto tried to protest but Orochimaru was already gone. Kabuto gritted his teeth in distress; this was going to be a long night.

.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,

Now that some of the lights were back on, it was easier for Orochimaru to see around the base, but he still kept the flashlight on. First he went to re-check the surveillance cameras to see if something different had showed up. Sadly though, he discovered when he got there that the backup generators weren't strong enough to power the cameras; Orochimaru would have to search the entire base by foot.

As he did so, his mind kept flashing to Sasuke and Anko. Sasuke was injured and he hadn't caused it. Either it was self-inflicted or he had gotten into another spare with Anko; both seemed possible.

Where was he?

Orochimaru laughed slightly _'After what Anko did last time, it wouldn't be so surprising if-"_

Orochimaru shot around as the sound of a loud crash fell on his ears. He heard the sound of footsteps fleeing down the hallway after the crash and he sped after them.

.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,..,.,.,.,.,.

"I can't believe this." Kabuto grumbled as he made his way out of the warm, dry hideout to check out the fuse box. The weather was wet and miserable, not something **anyone **would want to be out in. No wonder Kabuto was bitching so much.

"This is fucking ridiculous, every single damn bit of it?" He opened the fuse box and positioned his flashlight at the wiring "I'm going to beat the Hell out of…"

Kabuto's senses started buzzing as he studied the wiring, they had been completely demolished.

'_The lighting didn't do this," _Kabuto said to himself '_a knife of some sort did! Someone knocked out our electricity, but whom?_

The medical nin felt the sudden presents behind him but didn't have even a second to react before he was knocked cold on the soggy, muddy ground.

The person behind him dropped the bloodied kunai beside Kabuto's head and sped back to the hideout.

.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,,.,.,

Orochimaru ran as fast as he could after the figure. He kept trying to shine the flashlight on it but the person kept dodging to beam; it was like one moving shadow in the darkness.

"Stop!" Orochimaru called out to it.

The creature rounded a corner and stopped to make sure Orochimaru was still chasing him. As he began running again, Orochimaru stopped and held up his free arm, long black snakes charged at the intruder and wrapped themselves around his body. He smiled sickly "Would you like to tell me how you would like to die?" He shined the flashlight at the persons' face and stared at him a gasped. "Sasuke?"

The young Uchiha curled up in a ball of pain as the snakes resided. Dried blood colored the corners of his mouth, head, and clothes. He looked up at Orochimaru with pitiful eyes "Please….help me." After he said those words he disappeared in a puff of smoke.

Orochimaru, wide eyed and confused, stared down at the spot where his student's apparent doppelganger once lied. "What the Hell is going on here."

His eyes absently trailed to the flashlight beam and onwards, straight to the large metal door in front of him.

.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,,.,.,

'_Is this what dying feels like?' _Sasuke asked himself as he stared from his place on his back at the still unopened door. He was paralyzed but had had enough strength to create a clone to go find help, but that had been well over half an hour ago.

'_I never imagined I'd die like this; brought down by a female maniac, practically drowning in a pool of my own blood…. I think some of this is hers though.'_

He laughed dryly _'Well Itachi, I guess you won this one.' _

He felt like crying when this last thought came into his head. _'I really wanted to see mom and dad, but all I have to look forward to is an eternity with you… Mom… Dad… don't wait for me anymore….'_

A white light blinded him and he heard a husky voice hiss his name. _'I guess I'm going to get that fight with you after all Itachi. An eternity of just fighting with you big brother, forever….'_

Orochimaru dropped the flash light hurriedly and picked up Sasuke's limp, bloody body. "Damnit!" Orochimaru cursed out loud. He stared at Sasuke's closed eyes and tried to figure out what needed to be done _"He needs a blood transfusion right away, his jaw could use some attention as well, it looks like it has heal improperly." _he stood and sprinted up the staires.He quickly sped to his room and locked the door to attend to Sasuke.

Since, Sasuke was completely out cold, Orochimaru used the opportunity to re-break his jaw and set it back in place. He used his bed sheets to act as a tourniquet for his bleeding head and to catch the blood running from his mouth. He would have to do the blood transfusion later when things were safer.

Completing his work, he stepped back and examined Sasuke. It was hard to believe that this piece of bloodied pulp was to be his new body in two more years.

There was a loud crash outside Orochimaru's door; he quickly blew out the candle beside the bed and covered up Sasuke. He exited his room and locked the door to keep the intruder[s] out. Some of the lights were back on in the hallway, giving the base an even more eerie appearance than it already was. Speaking of eerie….

Orochimaru released the doorknob and was about to head to the noise but stopped when he saw the strange figure hidden by the shadows. He saw enough of the persons' frame to know it was Anko.

"Anko." He called to her. She didn't budge.

He stared at her questionable and made the risky decision of walking forward. The closer he got, the stronger the stench of blood became.

"What's going on?" He demanded. They were mere inched apart now, both covered in shadow but revealed by the small amount of light.

Her head was cast down; the sleeves of her trench coat were soaked in blood: blood that came from two different people.

Orochimaru reached out and tried to touch her but she jumped back like a wounded animal. He watched her intensely as she slumped down, her arms wrapped around her shoulders, sobbing inconceivable words that made no sense at all.

He crept up to her once again, squatting down to her level. She growled and spewed like a pained cat.

"Anko."

She dug her nails into the rocky ground under her hands, her teeth grinding together making a sound similar to the one her nails were making on the floor.

"Anko, look at me." He was ordering her now. But Anko remained the same, denying him as she always tried to do.

Losing his patience, Orochimaru reached for her chin "Anko I-"

Anko screamed and drove him back with strength that shouldn't have belonged to her. He stumbled backwards and managed to catch himself on the wall.

"What the Hell has-"

Orochimaru was suddenly lost in her eyes as she ran up to him and lunged something sharp and painful into his stomach. She was completely steady with the object unlike her previous shaking episode just a moment ago; he however was starting to shake viscously. Orochimaru's disturbed eyes traveled down to the bloodied, scared hand holding the syringe in his stomach slowly distributing a green liquid in his body. His eyes widened and shot back to hers.

Those eyes…..they weren't they ones he was used to seeing on Anko, her unbroken fear stricken eyes. These were those of someone hardcore and cold, someone who **wanted **him dead. He could have sworn that there were three swirly marks hidden in her brown orbs.

There was only one person he knew who had eyes like that. "Itachi?"

Anko let him slip to the floor before Orochimaru's question could be answered. She began shaking again and the syringe dropped from her head and rolled next to Orochimaru's head. She stared down at his quivering, bloody, **broken** form and she smiled. She smiled like a cannibal after a huge kill. She couldn't deny that seeing him like this wasn't the most beautiful thing she had seen.

Sweat formed over his chills as Orochimaru began fading. But as he did so, he got one last look at Anko's bloodied, slouched form. He heard slight sobs escaping her and he was sorry that he couldn't get up and make them stop.

Itachi walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her shoulders, slowing down her sobs and shakes. He looked down at Orochimaru and smirked, he had a hold on Anko that could never be broken.

She would never be free of these monsters.

Kabuto woke with great chills running down his body and the taste of blood and muddy water in his mouth. He stood up groggily and tried to make sense of the happenings of earlier.

Right, some idiotic and soon to be dead soul had knocked him out and left him to die in the rain. That fool was going to get it.

His head spun uncontrollable which caused him to fall back into the mud before getting into a proper stance. He groaned and limped back into the hideout, too zoned out to sense another source following him in.

Upon reaching the medical ward, Kabuto took out a bottle of Ibuprofen and took out three pills. He washed them down with a glass of water and closed the cabinet. There was an extra reflection in the mirror.

Kisame smirked at the fear on the medical nin's face "Miserable weather we're having huh?"


	11. Captured

"_Mom," Orochimaru whispered worriedly "I'm scared."_

_Koishii patted his head and smiled at him. Even though she looked strong, Orochimaru knew that she was just as terrified as he was. "Everything will be okay sweetie, I'll handle this." She kissed his forehead and for a long moment held him close. _

_One of the few things Orochimaru was able to remember about his mother was the warmth she provided each time she touched him and the scent she gave off. To this day he missed it terribly._

"_Koishii!"_

_The warmth around him disappeared as Koishii got up and left to meet,__ Oyaji__ , Orochimaru's father. She gave him one last smile before closing the door and leaving him in the darkness of his room._

_Orochimaru covered his ears as the shouting began but somehow he still heard the swears his father said. He heard his mother shout something and then something heavy crash to the floor._

_And then silence. The beautiful silence._

_Unable to take it, he got off his bed and peeked through one of the cracks in his door. He caught a hazy image of his mothers' body lying hunched up on the floor, she must have caused the falling sound. Orochimaru felt something warm and wet under his feet, he looked down at the red watery substance flooding his room. He gasped and opened the door just in time to see Oyaji pull his sword out of his mothers' body._

"_Mother!"_

_Oyaji shot around to him with hate filled eyes._

_.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,_

"Mother!"

Orochimaru's reflexes told him to shoot up but his body wouldn't comply with what he wanted to do. He struggled some and then looked down at the metal restraints holding down his arms and ankles. He looked around; he was in one of the many labs that existed in that particular base.

"You're up."

Orochimaru arched his neck up to see Anko casually to him. His eyes widened at her appearance.

Her hair was out of its ponytail, her long purple locks flowing down her shoulders. She dressed only in her shoes, short orange skirt, and fishnets; he wished they were more transparent. She was relatively clean other than the dried blood under her nails that looked like black finger nail polish.

She laughed and took a long gulp out of whatever was in the bottle she was holding. She snatched away from her mouth and laughed hysterically, staggering over the table so that she could lean on it to keep herself from falling over.

Orochimaru could smell the substance coming from her breath. Alcohol, and from the heavy stench, a lot of it.

She looked at Orochimaru with dead, insane eyes. "Want some?" she mused, holding the neck of the bottle dangerously over Orochimaru's …area… but he remained still and silent.

She scowled "Of course you don't." she threw the bottle over him and it crashed into one of the cabinets, breaking the glass and causing the leftover liquid to slosh out on him.

He winced and kept his attention on Anko who had gotten off the table was walking up beside him. Beside them was a silver tray scattered with various operation tools. She picked up a sharp, gleaming scalpel and smirked at him. "You enjoyed slicing Itachi-sama open, didn't you?"

'_Itachi-__**sama?**_' Orochimaru thought, slightly confused.

"You're lucky he wasn't alive when you started cutting him up." She set the scalpel aside and got on top of the table, straddling a very red Orochimaru.

"What are you…"

Anko met his eyes and unexpectedly tore his shirt open. She began removing the strips of clothing off of him until she had an interesting view of his chest; completely smooth and unscarred, unlike hers, too many suicide attempts.

"….you look nice." She whispered softly, almost sadly.

He swallowed hard, what the Hell was up with her all of a sudden?

"Anko," he commanded "Get off me and release me now."

Anko smirked and gave him a look at said 'LIKE HELL I WILL!' She pressed the tip of the blade to his throat. "Fuck no." she pressed down harder and a small line of blood appeared. "I want you to feel what I went through for **twelve fucking years."** She skipped to his chest and dragged the knife down in a rough path until she reached the hem of his pants.

Orochimaru was in intense pain but slightly pleasurable pain. They only way he could try to numb the pain out was by digging his nails into the table under him. He was digging so deep that his nails were breaking and starting to bleed; he would die of blood lost if he didn't pass out from pain first.

He jerked when he felt Anko's hot, wet tongue lap up the blood under his navel. It was an amazing, lustful, pain filled sensation that made black dots form in front Orochimaru's eyes. He felt that tongue of hers travel upwards until she was at his neck again. And then she stopped and Orochimaru growled in annoyance.

"You lied to me." She said suddenly. She redirected the scalpel to his collarbone. "You played with my head," she pressed the knife into his skin. "Fucked it up with so many lies to the point that I couldn't even think straight." She was now at an extreme vital spot at his neck. She stated into his unbroken, pained eyes. She was jealous of those eyes.

Itachi slipped up beside her, his hand caressing the back of her neck. _"Stop playing with him."_

"He's my kill; I can do whatever the Hell I want with him."

"Who are you talking to!" Orochimaru gasped.

Anko positioned the scalpel into his windpipe as a warning. "Shut up for a second."

She turned her attention back to Itachi. "Let me handle this, please?"

Itachi glared at her unsatisfied. _"Fine, but hurry it up."_

Anko smirked. "No, I don't think I will." She looked down at the dazed and confused Orochimaru. "Don't worry; he won't be a problem to us for the time being." She laughed and began kissing and biting his neck.

Orochimaru's eyebrow went up as she kissed him. What was causing her to act like this all of a sudden?

"Um….Anko…." Orochimaru tried to sound strong but the feelings Anko was giving him caused his mind and self-control to do flips. He tried slipping out of the restraints on his wrists but they were designed to be chakra resistant to keep certain experiments from making a run.

She traveled up his jaw and stopped at the corner of his mouth. Hesitantly she applied small pecks around his mouth. Orochimaru turned his head and gently captured her lips.

'_I need to keep her distracted as long possible. God knows what else she plans on doing.'_

Anko slipped her tongue over his. At first, the new taste was delicious but when the first speck of blood touched her taste buds, Anko flipped.

She unlatched herself from him and jumped off the table, dropping to the floor and throwing up all her stomach contents. Orochimaru could only see her head and back spasm violently. He honestly was a little concerned. "Anko?" he called out, still a little frightened of her.

She sat up on her knees and wiped the vomit remains from her mouth. She looked straight ahead at the man with such disapproving eyes.

'_Just do it already.' _Itachi scowled.

She glared at him defiantly, a first for her. "He's mine. I may take however long I want with him."

He squatted down took her chin in a very forceful way. _'If you don't take him out immediately, I will make sure that you go out with him.'_

Anko's eyes trembled in disbelief and anger. How could he suddenly do this to her?

He smiled suddenly and caressed her cheek. _'I'm sorry. Please Anko, end it now. Don't let him control you anymore…'_

Orochimaru watched as Anko slowly stood up again with the scalpel in hand. She turned to him with dead, lost eyes, eyes that did not belong to her.

"Anko…" he whispered.

Anko leveled the scalpel directly over his heart. She smiled at him in a sad but reassuring wau. "I'm really sorry." For the first time that night she sounded like her real self.

"Anko stop!"

Anko shot around as Kabuto and…the shark ninja burst into the room. They looked surprised at the position Anko and Orochimaru were in. Kisame smirked and gave a thumb up. "Wait a go."

Kabuto growled and pulled out a kunai, ready to attack the girl in front of them. "Do not move." He said.

Anko stared at them with her new eyes, she was extremely angry that her mission had been sabotaged.

Kisame stood his ground, ready to attack and capture Anko at will. Kabuto however was more concerned for Orochimaru. "Hang on." He said quietly.

The scalpel in Anko's hand dropped to the ground softly which startled the other people in the room. They watched her carefully, waiting anxiously for her next move. But she only stood there; her head drooped down, her body completely loose. She didn't look as though she wanted to fight.

Kisame and Kabuto exchanged glances and agreed that Kabuto should take the risk of walking past her to release Orochimaru. He kept his kunai in hand and his eyes focused on her. He was standing right beside her now, still and lifeless. He swallowed any hesitation he had left and leaned forward to undo the metal restraints. He looked at his master but his master wasn't watching him. He had his full attention on Anko.

Out of no where, Anko swung her leg around and collided with Kabuto's head, causing him to fall on top of Orochimaru.

She sprinted towards the exit, but was stopped by Kisame who grabbed her arms. "Don't fret kid, it's almost over."

Anko stiffened at his words. "Itachi…" she whispered _'Don't fret precious I'm here…'_

Kisame stared at her with an impassive expression. "What did those drugs do to her?"

Kabuto had Orochimaru released finally. He shot up and pointed to Anko "Don't let her go!"

Kisame answered "Wasn't planning on-"

Anko elbowed Kisame so hard in the stomach that he fell backwards just from the hit itself. She sped out of the room without a second glance at anyone.

"Damn," Kisame coughed "I never thought she'd be that strong."

Kabuto applied small rays of healing chakra to his abdominal where Anko had cut him to deep before helping him sit up. He left him momentarily to find bandages and a shirt of some sort for him.

The Snake Sannin stared at Kisame questionable and received the reply. "Just looking after the girl."

"You should look after yourself." Kabuto scowled as he wrapped white bandages around his chest and shoulder where bruises where starting to develop. There was no shirt in close reach so he would have do with out for now.

Kisame stared at Orochimaru strangely. "Last time I saw you, you were able to heal yourself. What happened?"

Orochimaru rubbed one of his wrists. "The restraints on this table are able to absorb chakra, which I use to keep the prisoners in check with."

"…I see." Kisame said, even he thought that was kind of cruel.

Orochimaru sat up. "Let's go find her."

"Are you insane?" Kisame exclaimed "She just tried to kill you, and now you want to go for a second round!"

Orochimaru shrugged "What can I say; I'm a complete masochist when it comes to Anko."

Kabuto silently groaned and thought of an excuse to keep him from going after Anko. "Umm…how's Sasuke?"

Orochimaru glanced at Kabuto, seeing through every charade. "Gravely injured. He's in my chambers and needs a blood transfusion."

He looked at Kisame who smirked with gleaming, sharp teeth. "You gonna make me leave?" he asked dangerously.

Sweat formed at Orochimaru's temple; this guy was somewhat intimidating but he had something more important on him mind.

He turned to Kabuto "Look after him, I'll find Anko."

There was something strange about the way Kisame watch him as he left. "Maybe that's not a good idea on your part."

"I'll be fine."

"Yeah, you proved that clearly tonight."

Orochimaru stole a glare at the shark ninja; he decided once everything was back to normal that he would kill Kisame. "I'll be back."


	12. You should have killed him

Anko sped down the labyrinth of hallways, dodging corners and low steps to avoid slowing down. She finally had to stop and catch her breath so she hid behind a wall.

She sat down and glared at her knees. "I can't believe I couldn't it!" she yelled out loud. She thought about the situation for a while. Itachi wanted Orochimaru dead for reason's Anko didn't know; she wanted Orochimaru dead as well but…

"Why?" she asked herself. Is this what **she **wanted, or was it a whim she was doing for someone else?

She hugged her knees, some of her self control resurfacing. "This isn't right…." She clenched her hands  
"NO! This is exactly what he deserves! Not just for me but for all the lives he took and will take!"

She frowned however. "But still…."

.,.,.,.,.

"_Why do you want to learn this so greatly?"_

"…_Because…" eleven year old Anko hesitated "I…I want to be more like you."_

.,.,.,.,.

"He practically raised me, taught me everything I know. How can I forget all of that?" she gritted her teeth and let her head fall back on the cool wall behind her. "Still," he hand slid to her neck where the curse mark was temperate. "He put me through Hell and back; he lied and cheated me. I can never forgive him."

Out of no where, Itachi crouched down and used one his arms to block her escape. _"What are you doing? He should be dead by now!"_

Anko stared at him defenselessly "There wasn't enough time!" she defended "Kabuto and that other guy showed up, I had to get-"

"_No!" _he shouted grabbing her shoulders roughly. His breath smelled like old blood which was a inhalant to Anko. _"If you had done what I told then it would be over! If you had…" _He stopped when he saw her eyes. Her fear filled, broken eyes.

He stood up. _"Just finish the job." _He said. He then leaned down and kissed her forehead as somewhat of a bribe.

Anko sat there for a moment longer, dumbfounded by Itachi's sudden action. Could that had been a sign of affection?

But she came back to the real world when she heard the faint sound of footsteps approaching. She stilled her breathing and waited for the person to get closer. She saw a shadow slid across the wall and then Orochimaru appear in front of her. They saw each other only for a few seconds before Anko jumped on him. He hit the floor hard and was paralyzed momentary while Anko punched his face.

He was finally able to gain some control of the situation and grabbed her wrists and switch their positions. She bit, screamed, and tried to kick him off of her but he fought her until all she could do was cuss him out. "FUCK YOU! FUCK YOU, YOU MONSTER!"

Orochimaru with a tight grip on her forced her up onto her feet and tried to make the suborn girl walk forward.

Using bull like strength, Anko forced Orochimaru into the wall behind them. This caused Orochimaru to temporary loose his grip on her left arm. She had just enough time to punch him in the nose before she was grabbed again. This time he gave her limbs a painful twist before picking her up and pushing her forward. "Move!" he commanded, which Anko had no choice but to do as she was told.

He forced her down the hallways to some unknown destination. She kept fighting though; even when he hit or threw her she wouldn't give up. She had to fore fill Itachi's request, had to kill this man beating the Hell out of her.

She was turned into a hallway with doors on every wall. The sane part of her found familiarization in it; this is where the bedrooms were. Without warning, she was slung through a door and landed face first into a hard, slightly gritty floor.

She lifted her head up slightly and saw the legs of two people bathed in candlelight. One of theme had there legs covered midway by a black cloak with a dark red design. Wait…

"Get up!"

Anko was jerked up and pulled against Orochimaru. She caught a slow glimpse of Kabuto staring at her; for once he didn't look happy to see her in pain. As she was dragged out of the room, she saw the tall Akatsuki member she had gotten so use to seeing. Kisame. Her eyes widened but she didn't get to see his expression.

She was dragged a few more seconds before she was thrown into another room, this one unoccupied. She hit a bed and it felt like she had slammed into water. She coughed and tried to at least get on her knees but she was forced into the mattress to the point of suffocation.

She tried clawing at him to get her off but he would not relent. As her struggles died away, she was given the air she needed by being flipped onto her back. Orochimaru was face to face with her, and damn he was **mad.**

"Where. Is. Anko?"

Anko stared at him in disbelief. "What are you talking-"

"Don't you fuck with me Itachi!" Orochimaru shouted.

"What…" was all Anko could manage. Had everyone lost their minds?

"Drop the disguise." He ordered through a growl, getting off of her so that he…or she...could move.

Anko stared at him questionable. She went deep into his eyes for the answer to the riddle. Something was there, something dark, and deep. But it wasn't until his eyes softened that the answer came out.


	13. I needed you, but now I don't

_Anko stared down at the blood pouring from her wound. Despite how weak she felt, she had somehow managed to keep a strong hold of Itachi's hands and the sword that was in her. She looked up at him with shaking eyes, how could he be so calm while she was screaming on the inside?_

_Itachi forced himself out of her grip and with him his weapon, causing her to topple to her knees. He stepped back to survey her, the bloody but unbroken mess that he had created. He watched her wrap her arms around her stomach in a vain attempt to stop the blood from flowing out any further. She has been poisoned and he did not know what to do. If worse, he thought she looked beautiful when she was in pain._

_He couldn't help but walk closer and kneel down to her height [His knees landed in the pool of blood that had formed there but he was too mesmerized to care]._

_His fingertips, calloused and bloodied from his own torment, barely grazed her skin when she started screaming. It echoed all through out the nightmare realm but there was no one or nothing around to hear it. It was just them, just like he had wanted it to be._

_Her screaming slowly died away and all she could do was squeeze her eyes shut and shake and cry. Sob and breathe. Bleed and die._

_And yet, she was still the same, an unbroken, strong girl who was willing to take him to an early grave with her. A perfect subject._

_He gripped her shoulder in an encouraging sort of way and leaned forward [the scent of her blood was different than that of the ones he had encountered on battlefields and that it self was worth whiled]. _

_And he kissed her. _

_Her eyes flew open to meet Itachi's closed ones. Was he enjoying himself this while she was losing her mind?_

_Her gasped was muffled when an icy feeling spread around her upper body. And when he ended whatever it was he was doing to her, she was completely healed. So she sat there, dumbfounded and confused and let this complete stranger nuzzle her neck. "May I ask something of you?" He whispered._

_Anko gulped and did not move. _

_He pulled back and caressed her cheek as he whispered "I want to ask you to lend me your soul for a little while, just long enough for me to get rid of someone." _

_Her face was now bleeding from the dried blade-like finger tips of Itachi but she couldn't feel it. _

_Something was happening that caused her body and senses to go completely numb._

_All she could register after that was his smile. "It'll be over soon. I promise."_

_Her eyes widened as she was completely taken over. "I'll kill you some other time okay?"_

Orochimaru almost lost his mind when Itachi dropped his disguise. Anko faded away like an illusion and was replaced by Itachi's decaying form.

"…you never died." Orochimaru assumed.

Itachi smirked. "No, I did die back there. My body was giving out and I needed somewhere to go until my job here was done." His eyes flashed. "I needed someone to get close to you so that you would catch the affect and die."

"What are you talking about?"

"Why…the virus of course."

Orochimaru stared at him with anticipation. He never could figure Itachi out; everything from his expressions to the words he said was complete wacky.

Out of nowhere his eyes widened and he dropped to his knees, vomiting violently.

Itachi laughed softly. "Looks like you and Anko got it, such a shame, I never intended for it to harm her in such a way but she for one won't last much longer since it's been in her system for this long."

Orochimaru panted and wiped the vile away from his face. "Where…where is she?"

Itachi stood up and began pacing slowly towards him.

Orochimaru tried to crawl back while keep a serious look on. "Where is Anko?" Itachi was closer now, so close that Orochimaru could smell the old blood radiating off of him. "I want an answer already!"

In a flash Itachi was straddling him, his hands holding his hips down, blood dripping from his smiling mouth. His eyes were so lost and insane, it would've been sad if Orochimaru didn't hate him so much. Itachi laughed softly which caused blood to spill on Orochimaru, and bent down slowly to whispered to him "…looks like I got it to." He burst out in to manically laughter and started choking Orochimaru with strength that shouldn't have belonged to a…dead man?

His laughter grew louder and louder until Orochimaru's ears began ringing. He struggled with Itachi's grip but all he could focus on was that laughter. Itachi's laughter. Anko laughter? She was still alive somewhere…

Orochimaru threw Itachi off of him, taking in air as he recovered. He heard Itachi collide with something and he silently hoped that he had bashed his head open. He sat up, rubbing his aching throat.

Itachi had hit his head on the bed and for the moment was paralyzed and unable to thing straight. Warm blood poured torturously down his neck but he barely felt anything but the hand tightening around his neck. "Now I'm going to ask you one last time before I break your neck and end your pathetic existence."

Itachi only laughed at that statement. "You seem to have forgotten that I'm already dead."

Orochimaru blinked and he was out of his grip. He stared at his empty hands until Itachi regained his attention by wrapping one of his arms around Orochimaru's neck. "You're the one who needs to worry about dying." He reminded. "The virus waits for no one."

Orochimaru shot around but all that was there was the sound of Itachi's psychotic laughter. Suddenly the door flew open and Orochimaru heard Itachi say in a fading voice "…Oh Orochimaru…" he was slung to the ground by the invisible force that was Itachi.

"…I'm going to kill Anko now…"

Orochimaru gasped and struggled to get up. As soon as he was on his feet, he followed Itachi's laughter until it completely faded away.

"No!" he said. Itachi could have been anywhere but there was only one reason he cared about that, Anko.

Wherever he was she was and she was in great danger.

As Orochimaru ran up and down the hallways, checking every crack and room, nothing else existed except Anko.

The years of experiments, gaining the entire world, nothing. If he found Anko, if he could find her alive, he would be forever satisfied.

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"_So that's how it happened…" _ Anko said to herself as the memories of her meeting with Itachi in the nightmare realm became clearer and clearer.

That was it. Her control was coming back and she was seeing just how dangerous really Itachi was. He was worse than Orochimaru. Well, not entirely.

_I'm killing you out of love Anko, be thankful for that._

Orochimaru wouldn't have been that merciful.

"_He did kill me." _Anko realized. _"He killed off my rights to make my own decisions and control my own body. He put a poison inside me that no one could cure."_

A tear slid down her cheek and she curled up into a tighter ball on the cold metal floor. _"He said he loved me…it was a lie…he used me." _ She dug her nails into the floor to keep herself from screaming. _"I…I'm so __**sick **__of being used!"_

She flopped over on her back and tried to see past the darkness that was the autopsy room. She wanted to be alone in that little black room forever, just lay there and slowly die with nothing to hold her back.

There was a noise and Anko slowly turned to the direction it was coming from. Somehow a light came on just beside the freezers holding all sorts of dead bodies, most importantly, Itachi's.

Itachi's slowly slid open, cold gas-like air swimming out of the sides as it opened further.

Anko sat up a watched in memorization as the body bag was slowly unzipped and a medium sized scarred figure rose from it. Only his waste up was exposed and his neck was arched down in a painful way. He slowly lifted his head and somehow caught a glimpse of Anko in the dim light. "So here you are…" he whispered. He unzipped the rest of the bag and stepped out of it cautiously, nude and all.

He slowly walked to a cupboard and opened it, bringing out what was left of his clothes, and dressing himself.

Anko could only watch because she wanted so badly to wake up from this nightmare. It was like watching someone jump off a bridge: you could scream and run but you could never look away because deep in their mind they were excited to watch someone break.

She blinked and Itachi was squatting down in front of her. Startled, she crawled back until she hit a wall, but Itachi followed, just like he always did. He touched her; there was kindness in his movements and touches but none at all in his expression.

She dared to look into his eyes, nothing was there: no feeling, no color, and no **sight.**

"You're blind." Anko realized.

A white tear slid down Itachi's ruined face.

"No don't…" she whispered; she didn't want to see him in pain anymore. She reached out to wipe the tear away but he grabbed her arm and pinned it against the wall.

She couldn't help but scream and sobbed as Itachi dug a needle ever so slowly into her arm. "Itachi please!" 

Itachi stopped and Anko relaxed only for a few seconds before he drove the needle full length into her. _**"You brought this on yourself."  
**_

"No!" Anko defended. "I did what you wanted, I did everything you asked me to-"

"Shut up!" he shouted. He slung her into the middle of the room where she hit the floor hard. She pulled the needle out and sat up to better heal her arm.

Itachi approached her slowly. Anko whimpered and crawled back as far as she could from him, but not even that would cause her to escape.

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Orochimaru's head shot out of the room he was searching in. He had heard a scream of some sort and wondered if it was Anko. When the hallway became silent again, he growled and started running again; next up was the labs and autopsy rooms.

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Anko hit the wall again and felt one of the syringes graze her temple. She looked up at Itachi and his dozy form.

"You're so fucking weak!" Itachi shouted at her. He made a kick at her face but Anko grabbed his foot and sent him flying back. She scrambled up and tried to run up the stairs but Itachi grabbed her ankle and forced her back down. He jumped on top of her with a syringe leveled over her left eye. She grabbed his arm and they struggled for a moment. The blade was getting closer to her eye each second he remained on her. "Let's see how you like it." Itachi said once. "Let's see how you like not being able to see."

Finally Anko shoved him off and she crawled under the nearest safe haven, a table on the other side of the room. She watched Itachi get up again like a corpse rising from the dead, which Itachi was. He stood completely still so that he could hear any movement she made, it must have been his way of seeing without his eyes.

Anko covered her mouth so that he couldn't hear her breathing. She dared not move; even shaking out of fear was unacceptable.

"Where are you Anko?" Itachi called out drunkly. He walked around the room slowly; it was amazing how he didn't crash into anything.

Out of nowhere, he let out a loud scream of frustration and started destroying the beakers and tables near him. "Where the Hell are you Anko?" he continued smashing and throwing things around until he was mere feet away from her hide away.

Despite the fact that she was scared out of her mind, she quietly slid out from under the table while he had his back to her, eyeing the steps, her only escape. She kept her eyes on him and glanced behind her occasionally to make sure she wasn't about to crash into anything.

Pity, if Anko had looked at the ground, she may have made it.

Anko's shoe connected with a piece of glass and made a loud crunching sound as it broke. It took Itachi less than a second to have his hands around her neck again. He forced her against a table and redirected his hands to her shoulders. "You little bitch !" he growled "I should have killed you when I had the chance!"

"…But you didn't." Anko coughed out. "Why? Why did you keep me alive even though it was your mission to kill me, why did you go against an order, it's so unlike you."

Indeed it was. There was a time in Itachi's life that he would have done anything, anything reasonable that is. He would have never gone against anyone, mainly his superiors and whoever else was giving an order. But that had changed somehow the second Anko stepped into his life.

"I need you then." He answered softly. "I was dying, I knew that and I was willing but…" he hesitated and looked at her neck; staring at the developing bruises on it helped him think straight.

"I couldn't stop thinking about my brother. I knew what Orochimaru was planning to do to him in the next year and a half and I was worried that he wouldn't be ready…" one of his thumbs dug into her flesh. "I didn't want

"Sasuke…" he said in a lost tone. He looked at her. "Where did you leave my little brother?"

Anko's eyed widened, she had completely forgotten about Sasuke! He could be dead and she would have to tell Itachi!

Itachi took her chin, his softer qualities suddenly returning. "Answer me Anko." He said like a father telling his child to tell the truth to a lie that he or she had told.

Anko was living in her own.

"He's…with Kisame." She was shocked that those words came out of her own mouth, but the shark ninja was the first person Anko thought Itachi would trust.

Itachi's movements stopped. He was too quiet to be alright or angry. "I see…"

"Kisame…he said he was your…former partner. I thought I could trust him so…"

Itachi silenced her with an unhealthy smile. "Since he's here, I no longer have use for you." With lightning speed he had his hands around her neck. Anko gasped as her body was pinned down by his and he applied pressure to her windpipe. "Shh," he shushed through her struggles. "I'm killing you out of mercy Anko, be thankful for that-"

"Anko!"

Itachi, with Anko still in his hands, shot around to find Orochimaru at the foot of the steps. Anko couldn't help but smile as her savior came slowly down the stairs. Itachi forced her gaze back to him "If you say a word about this, I'll kill him right in front of you." Something ice cold slid into her hand. Anko looked down at the object, a scalpel, or a last resort. She knew exactly what he meant. "No," she begged in a hushed tone "Itachi please no…"


	14. Anko, is this what dying feels like?

Sasuke was going to make it, despite the major injures he had had. He was dangerously dehydrated from blood lost, had several broken ribs and jaw, and a concussion from where he had been hit by Anko. Kabuto had healed his injuries, but Sasuke was too drained of blood for his organs to completely function.

Kisame, to Kabuto's surprise, had offered to give his blood to Sasuke when the risks of leaving the safe haven of Orochimaru's room became too high.

They were now resting: Kabuto in a chair wiping whatever blood he could off with the now ragged cloth of Orochimaru's bed. Sasuke was breathing slowly and was beyond out of it, and Kisame was at the foot of the great bed, recovering from giving blood. He was a fast healer though; probably had something to do with all the chakra he had stored up.

Kabuto was staring at him accusingly. He was the enemy but there was something else total off about him. What was his motive? Sasuke was his former partner's brother, but that just didn't add up for Kabuto's taste, not to mention the happenings between him and Anko the other night.

He heard the shark ninja laughed. "This assignment is such a bitch."

Kabuto could only stare as he slowly got up and started staggering toward him. "I have to admit, I half-expected Orochimaru and Anko to be dead by now," he was now in front of Kabuto, resting his hands on the arms of the chair. "The virus is suppose kill fast."

Kabuto's heart was beating at an unsteady pace, but one false move would cause it to stop beating forever; he had to remain completely calm around this man. "What are you talking about?"

Kisame stepped back slightly to have a full view of the person he was surveying. "Come on…You had to notice it, the way that pretty girl, Anko, was losing her mind."

"I noticed that much," Kabuto replied with a bit of humor. "But I don't see what that has to do with a virus."

Kisame laughed, staring at Kabuto's lost expression. "It's not a stomach virus or anything else like that, it's in the mind. You probably remember the first time you I met face to face."

"Yeah, but I don't really want to." He smirked to contain his mirth.

Kisame suddenly turned very serious and placed one of his great hands on Kabuto's shoulders. "This is serious." He was silent for a moment before his smile reappeared. "Before then, considering Itachi was dying when he put her under, she was still fighting back, so I slipped a little 'something-something' in some dango I gave her to weaken her defense systems…Wipe that look for your face, she knew about it."

"What kind of 'something-something' are we talking about?"

"LSD."

"You idiot!" Kabuto shouted, forgetting whom he was talking to. "You have any idea how dangerous that stuff is!"

Kisame glared at him. "Yeah, but it was Itachi's orders, so I didn't really give a damn."

"I-Itachi?" Kabuto questioned confused. "That's…impossible, Itachi is…" he stopped completely when Kisame stood back and gave him the strangest look Kabuto had ever seen from one person.

"He might be dead to everyone else, but to her he is very much alive."

"…What?"

Kisame laughed as he slowly pulled out his Shark Skin and leveled it to point where he would be able to cut Kabuto in half. "Sorry, but if two knew a secret…one must die."

Kabuto jumped out of the way just as it came down on him; it cut the chair in half instead.

Kisame smirked as Kabuto slid to a stop and pulled out a syringe and crouched into a fighting stance. "Ah, well… It has been some time since I've had a good fight…or a good kill at least." He approached the glaring Kabuto and positioned his sword again. "Let's begin, shall we?"

Kabuto went at him immediately. He went for his neck, but got a punch in the stomach instead.

It took him a few seconds to get back up before Kisame was throwing him around like a kick ball. He never gave Kabuto the chance to get back up. He made sure to get a few kicks in at his head and ribs so that he'd stay on the ground as long as possible.

It was his favorite part, the part where his prey would take one last look at him with fear stricken eyes and beg for their life to be spared. It wouldn't be same with this one sadly; he has worked with Orochimaru for many years, he didn't know fear.

"Do me a favor," he said to the face down, slightly unconscious Kabuto. "Tell Itachi I said hi. I'm sure he'll need some company in Hell." He laughed as he lifted Shark Skin over Kabuto and brought it down on his head.

Or at least he would have if the other person in the room hadn't of stopped him.

Kabuto flinched when he felt ice-cold wet drops sprinkle his neck. He opened his eyes and turned carefully on his back where he was caught off guard by Kisame's unmoving, surprised form.

Behind him, someone had shoved a scalpel into the center of his spine, which had knocked all his nerves cold. He was released and landed right beside the rising Kabuto.

Pain was one of the few things Kisame had to experience; his chakra kept him healed and he went by the 'kill or be killed' code. But now that he was laying there, body being swallowed by a monster that tore his body to shreds with its razor sharp teeth, he wished he had more experience.

Kabuto was standing over him now, blood dripping from the corners of his mouth and splattering onto the shark ninja's face. He saw the look in his eye; he wanted the pain to stop **he **wanted mercy. But Kabuto was not going to relent.

He smiled politely at the dying shinobi. "It's a real place."

Kisame's eyes widened to their limits.

He bent down to his knees and stared at Kisame was slowly turned his neck to face him. "Hell…it really does exist…" he ran his finger of a streak of blood on Kisame's chin, blood that didn't belong to him.

Kisame watched him lick his finger clean and then look at him again, bending down and whispered. "Looks like you caught it, too."

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"_We need to trigger the Virus somehow." Itachi mused._

_Kisame looked up. "That's what you've decided to name that mind jutsu you were working on?"_

_Itachi nodded, his back still to his partner._

_Kisame chuckled, shaking his head. "The Virus…It should really have a name that has something to do with nerves you know, it's a mind playing jutsu after all."_

"_This new jutsu will allow me to completely control the poor unfortunate soul I choose for this task; I'll be able to manipulate every nerve, thought, and perspective that person sees, just like a illness does." He turned away from the inn window and stared at the wall, still refusing to give his partner eye contact for some reason. "Kisame."_

"_Hmm?"_

"…_Could I trust you enough to be my first subject?"_

_Kisame looked at him in shock. "Seriously?"_

"_I don't want to kill anyone by using this, so I need someone who can take it. It will be like being trapped by my Sharingan, so I can't promise you that there will be no distress."_

_Kisame smirked. "You're saying you could kill me." _

_Itachi said nothing, but the tenseness of his body said yes._

"_All right, then." He said standing up. "But you owe me big time."_

_Itachi turned to him and for the first time looked at him in the eyes. "I'll owe you by not ending your life right here and now."_

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"_These are for you." Kisame said as he handed Anko the open box of dango that Itachi had instructed him to give to her. _

_Anko hesitated before taking one of the skewers out of the box. Kisame copied her action and waited for her to take a bite, but she only stared at the dangos curiously._

"_Itachi said you really like these things." Kisame said hoping to persuade her into eating the drugged food. "I thought it would be a comfort for you to know that he was thinking about you."_

_Anko looked up at him and then at the skewer. Making a hard face, she began chewing on the sweets._

_Itachi's voice echoed inside Kisame's head.__** "Very good." **_

_Kisame grinned and absently bit into a dango skewer of his own._

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Kisame smirked as he remembered his careless mistake. It seemed so silly that he had caused his own death out of a whim for his former partner. But then again, he had known the risks and had accepted them immediately; he had served his purpose and didn't care about dying.

"You're too late, anyway." He said to the figure over him. "Orochimaru has caught the Virus, that's all we wanted. He'll be dead soon and you or that girl won't have a reason to live."

Kabuto glared at him. "We'll see about that." He turned away as if he were going to leave but stopped, smiling. "Say hi to my big brother for me."

Kisame died. Just as he was suppose to.

Mere seconds after that, the door to the bedroom open and Kabuto entered. The scalpels and syringes he was holding dropped to the ground when he saw a bloodied version of _himself_standing over a dead heap of Kisame.

The bloody Kabuto turned to him and made a hand sign. With a puff of smoke, Sasuke appeared. He looked down at Kisame one last time; he could've laughed at how easily he had fallen under his genjutsu. He stepped away from him and wobbled over to Kabuto.

"Sasuke, you…" he couldn't find the right words to say on account that he was in great shock. He watched Sasuke bend over and pick up a roll of bandages and forced them into the medical ninja's arms. "We have to find Anko and Lord Orochimaru right now."

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Orochimaru was relieved to find Anko,_alone_, and curled up in the corner of the autopsy room. He smiled and bent down in front of her, extending a hand to her hunched, shaking form.

"Anko," he whispered cautiously "Anko, give me your hand. I'm taking you away from here."

She shot out of her ball and swung the syringe Itachi had put in her hand at him. He escaped her attack with only a minor cut on his hand.

She rose on shaky legs and approached him again. She stared down at him and her heart began to break. _'I don't want to do this…Itachi, don't…"_

Itachi gripped her wrist and forced her to level the syringe again. He pushed her forward and she fell on her knees; the scalpel in position in her hands like a prayer cross.

_"Do it!" _he threatened.

She gripped the needle tighter and wished she had more time to think.

Orochimaru crouched down to her level, but kept a good amount of space between them. "Anko, Itachi's talking to you, isn't he?"

She looked up at him with horrified eyes.

"I know, he's been doing the same with me, too."

She smiled despite herself. "One of the few things we ever had in common."

"We're more alike than you think, love." He reached out hesitantly, but she didn't try to fight back so he brushed her cheek freely.

"Don't do this to me again." She cried, turning her head away.

"…Do what?"

She looked at him again, smiling with tears in her eyes. "Don't make me start falling in love with you again."

This took Orochimaru aback. Love? He had almost for gotten how to feel that, let alone having someone who felt it towards him.

She stood and slipped to a wall further from him. "I…I thought I had when we started to spend more time together. You still were the sadistic little shit I had hated, but you at least pretended to care about me." She slowly put the needle in the vile and soaked up the poison. "I realize now how stupid I was, love is something I shouldn't feel." She raised the syringe to her own neck. "I'm sick of this feeling…"

Orochimaru's eyes widened upon realizing what she was about to do. "Anko!"

_"What are you doing?"_

She sneered at Itachi. "Let's see how easily you'll get to Orochimaru without my help."

She punctured her arm but she was slapped across the face before she could inject the poison. She hit a table and her arm was grabbed. She and Orochimaru fought over the poisoned syringe all over the lab. She kept trying to make him press down on the plunger while he tried to pull it out of her hands. He gripped the glass object and squeezed it; it easily broke and the glass incised in to his hands.

"No!" Anko screamed at him as he threw her onto another table. Before she could recover, he took both her arms and pinned them above her head. She started shouting at him again, but he silenced her with his lips.

She stayed paralyzed for a minute. Something was different about the way he was kissing her now. This feeling wasn't lust, nor was it was way to drive her crazy; it was more of a loving want. A need.

He finally stopped, a small gasp leaving both of them. She stared wide-eyed at his sorrowful expression. Out of nowhere, he wrapped his arms around her and buried his face in her shoulder.

"Don't you _ever _do that again!" he murmured, her hands gripped his shoulders and pulled him back. His eyes were scared, hurt, and angry and they were pointing all these emotions at her.

"I'm…" she broke out into a sob. "I'm so sorry!" She pulled him close, locking him in her arms. "I just…I can't do this anymore! I don't want to fight Itachi. I don't want to hurt like this!"

"I know." He whispered, soothingly. "I know." He lifted her chin and wiped the tears on her cheeks. "That's why I need you to stay with me. I need you to let me help you. We can fight this, Anko."

She smiled slightly. He actually seemed so sincere and caring. Even if this temporary or false, she was so glad that he was this way.

But then Itachi appeared again.

Orochimaru's serene look changed instantly into one of shock and pain as the sound of flesh ripping fell on both their ears.

Anko gasped in horror when she felt the tip of Itachi's sword prick her stomach and felt Orochimaru's warm blood splatter on her legs and feet. "…No…"

He fell to the ground carelessly.

"No!" she dropped down next to him and tried to stop the bleeding spewing out of the gash. "Itachi, you monster!"

He grabbed her neck and forced her to meet his eyes_**. **__"He is the monster here, Anko-chan. You ought to be glad he's dead! After everything he did to you, those innocent people, my brother, me! Damn it, Anko, just let him die!"_

She twisted from his grip and pushed him away. "He was dead to me! He was fucking dead to me, but then you came along and brought him back!"

_"Don't you dare-"_

"You're the one who needs to die, Itachi! You're the one who's been causing the suffering, Itachi!"

He grabbed her shoulders and yanked her up. _"I was trying to save you-"_

"You didn't give a damn about me! Your brother's safety was all that you cared about, I was just the pawn!"

"_You were more to me than you keep thinking!"_ his voiced calmed slightly and his hand ran possessively up and down her cheek. He looked so welcoming and kind. _"I needed you. You were my ticket back into this world."_ His eyes held do many emotions that Anko didn't know how to except. _"I was dying, but you were still so alive. I wanted your strength to finish what no one else could: Orochimaru's assassination."_

Something was starting to click with Anko. She felt like she knew everything he was saying was meant to happen because she had heard it before; Orochimaru had said something very similar once.

_"But you are such a strong little girl, you know that?"_ he sounded like a parent aiding their child through a scary doctor visit; the sanity was returning. _"I kept trying to get inside that fucking mind of yours but you are just so…damn difficult. I needed a way to weaken you, to make you frail enough to break open and enter."_ His eyes were made with power. _"Weren't you a druggie when we first met, Anko?"_

Anko's eyes widened. What caused him to bring up such an epic part of her life all of a sudden?

Drugs had been a major part of her life when she was thirteen; they were one of the few things that worked to help her escape her troubles. In her spare time, she was at home, curled up on the couch as high as mars and completely zoned out to everything; it was miracle that she survived her missions when she was high as hell.

One day, right before she first caught sight of Itachi Uchiha, she overdosed on ten Tylenol pills. Someone, Anko never knew who broke in and took her to the hospital where she spent three days getting her stomach pumped out. She just didn't want to use them and stopped, just like that, no strings attached.

Still, she knew that she would never completely recover from her heavy uses. For a while, all the new smells and tastes were over whelming, except the dango she began eating frequently. It was the only thing that had the flavoring of her beloved meds and inhalants…

"The dango tasted like…" she looked into Itachi's eyes "Kisame…He was a part of this, wasn't he? Everything started happening after I met him…after I ate the dango he gave me. It was tainted with something, wasn't it?"

Itachi chuckled lightly. _"You figure things out so slowly, Anko. Have I caused you to suffer that much?"_

She glared at him but comebacks were not with her at the moment.

_"It's okay, precious." _His grip on her jaw tightened harshly. _"I'm going to let you fall back into your darkness. I owe you that much."_ His lips clasped over hers and muffled her shriek of surprise.

She felt something, some sort of dark power, entered her and paralyzed her senses. She fell into his arms as all her strength and fighting grit died away.

The darkness entered her lungs and cut off her breathing, causing so much pain. Even her eyes blinking was starting to slow down. She knew that this is what dying felt like as she started to fall into the sleep of death.

"GET YOUR HANDS OFF OF HER!"

Anko's eyes snapped open as a sharp sting rattled her diaphragm and organs. Itachi's mouth removed it's self from hers only to spit blood onto her face, his arms remained. Her strength and senses returned slowly. She looked down to see the very sword Itachi had used to kill Orochimaru sticking out of her stomach and into Itachi's. She felt Orochimaru's breathe on the back of her neck. "It's okay, I'm here…"

Itachi coughed again. _"An…ko…"_

She blinked some of his blood out of her eyes.

_"Is…Is think wh-what dying…feels like?"_

Anko found herself in his eyes again. But they didn't have the power over her they did that short time ago. They no longer had that evil, that darkness, that piercing gaze that drew her to him each time. He was blind, powerless, and dying all over again. And even though part of her still had a great deal of love for him, she knew he deserved this.

She smirked wildly. "No…BUT THIS IS!"

Her foot shot up and pushed him off of the blade so that he flew back and she easily fell back. She didn't hear Itachi fall; all that echoed in her ears was the sound of her muscles and nerves screaming in pain. Pain that once again had been caused by Orochimaru.

"Anko!" she heard his panicking voice plea. A blurry image of him hovered over her body. "Anko, hang on!"

"_Shh…It's okay, I'm here…"_

She smiled. "I'm trying, Sensei…I really am."

He gulped and held her tightly to his almost bare chest and sat back as carefully as he could on a sink to rest his own wounds. Moments pasted of silence and the feeling of Anko's blood mixing with his own.

"Anko…" he whispered to her barely conscious form. "Anko just…" he growled, unaccustomed to these kinds of feelings. "I…I'm sorry, is that what you want to hear?" his hand wiped some of her hair out of her face. "I'm sorry you had to go through things like this alone…or at least with Itachi." His index finger drove into her temple. "I…really don't want you to go through this anymore…or at least without someone to be there catch you, like I am now." The fact that she didn't respond or move made his stomach run cold.

"Umm..." He pressed his head into the cool metal to help himself think. "Do you…do you remember when you went on your first B-ranked mission?" he laughed slightly. "We were sent to find a drug lord and you wouldn't shut up at all. We finally found him and you did more damage to yourself than you did to him." His smiled faded just a bit. "And then he shot you. I killed him, and you stayed still for so long, little Anko."

His hands were starting to shake from the fear and blood loss. "I was so scared. I'm scared now, so scared, little one. You want to know why?" Even while she was out cold he still had trouble getting the words out. "Because I loved you. You were…a part of me I should say. And I lost that piece when you left. But I have it back and I'll do what ever it takes to keep it. Is that all right with you?"

She was never going to answer him.

"Anko…Please don't die. Please, just…"

The sound of metal hitting stone echoed throughout the room. A few seconds later, the lights above him came on following the sound of footsteps running down the stairs. Soon enough, a very messed up Kabuto and Sasuke filed in.

"Damn!" Kabuto exclaimed when he saw his master, Anko, and his lab in ruins. "What happened?"

Sasuke looked around as well, but his attention was primarily focused on the disfigured corpse of what used to be his brother. He looked away in disgust.

Orochimaru gritted his teeth and stood on shaky legs, taking Anko with him.

"Lord Orochimaru…" Kabuto gasped when he saw just how beaten up he really was.

The Snake Sannin walked closer to him, Anko nestled tightly in his arms. "Tend to her injuries. NOW!"

.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.

_**I am a total screw up! **_

_**Ethridge: You are if it took you two months to update this piece of-**_

_**ETHRIDGE! THERE ARE KIDS READING THIS!**_

_**Last two chapters will be out in a few days or so!**_


	15. Don't give up on me

_**WARNING! WARNING! LEMON! LEMON! ETHRIDGE! ETH-…Ethridge? ETHRIDGE, GET OUT OF MY FANFIC!**_

_**

* * *

**_

_You and me, we're the same  
Asking for more  
More than the numbing existence  
Offered us all  
What did they say? What did they do?  
To make you crawl back here  
Despite everything that you've been through  
You're still right here_

_****__

* * *

_

Orochimaru, Anko, and Sasuke waited in the medical ward for Kabuto to return their blood tests. Anko and Sasuke were in hospital beds while Orochimaru sat in a chair between them. He was in a worse condition than both of them and yet he thought a new change of bandages was all he needed.

"Smug bastard." Anko muttered.

"Calling me names isn't going to make your tests run faster." Orochimaru responded. Since Anko had become stable, he had returned to his former self: uncaring, cold, and cruel. But his eyes softened every time he looked in on Anko.

She rolled her eyes; she liked him better when he was bleeding to death. "Well, maybe cussing your medical ninja out would work better."

The door opened just then. "Save your breath, Anko, you'll need as many as possible."

Anko paled dangerously while Orochimaru's grip on his sleeves tightened. "What's the news?"

"Sasuke's going to be sore for the next couple of days, but plenty of rest will put him back in good health. But as for you two…" Kabuto was in the mood to swim in a snake infested waters. "Want good or bad first?"

"Just read the damn tests!" Orochimaru shouted.

The room went into a moment of silence. No one, not even Kabuto, had seen him go off like that before.

"Umm…Yes." Kabuto spoke as he fumbled through the papers.

Anko felt someone else's hand entangle in hers. She looked down and saw that it was Sasuke's patched up, IV one. He was glaring straight ahead, but there was complete serenity in his touch. A peace offering maybe? Or perhaps just a way to mess with her, a hobby that would never die with any or the people she had become acquainted to?

His hand retreated as soon as the eyes turned back to them.

"You and Orochimaru do have a taste of blood poison and your shares of mental instability."

Anko laughed. "Late diagnoses on the last part there, four eyes."

Orochimaru smiled slightly, it was good to have the Anko he knew best back.

"Anko." He warned gently.

She shrugged and paid attention.

"And there's the issue with the large amounts LSD you both have been consuming for the past couple of weeks." He stated gravely. "I'll have to subscribe you both Ipecac to get what's left in your systems out."

"Sounds simple enough." Anko said as she threw the covers off of her.

"Where do you think you're going?" Kabuto demanded.

"I'm not sleeping in here." She said as she tried to stand on her needle-pricked legs.

"Well, you're not going off alone either." Kabuto stated, getting in front of her to block her way.

"Move it, four eyes." She growled dangerously.

He pulled out a syringe filled with a blue substance. "Do I have to force you?"

She scoffed. "You trying to play Orochimaru all of a sudden? Trying to make me do things I rather die than do?" A hand clamped down on her shoulder.

"That's enough Anko." Orochimaru's silky voice commanded. He held out a hand to Kabuto. "Go get the Ipecac; we'll start taking them tonight."

Kabuto nodded and shot Anko one last dirty look before returning to the medicine cabinets.

Orochimaru sat down on Anko's bed and pulled her beside him. He was so tired.

"You'll need to take two a day, right before you eat." Kabuto instructed as he handed Orochimaru the bulky bottle. He opened them immediately and popped out four yellow capsules, putting two in his mouth and handing the others to Anko.

She stared at them hesitantly; she really loathed the idea of going down that road again.

"Trust me; you're not going to get addicted to these after the first day." Orochimaru reassured her.

She rolled her eyes and swallowed the pills just to satisfy him.

"Very good." He commented. He stood up carefully "I'll be turning in now. Come along, Anko." He sounded so passive now, as if the happenings of that night hadn't happened at all. This caused an angry fire to settle in Anko's stomach. She reached behind her and grabbed her pillow, the only weapon she could get to, and smacked it over his head.

"What the hell is up with you?" she screamed at him. "You're acting as if you just weren't about to die, like everything that Itachi did to us didn't happen!"

"Not here, Anko-"

"Fuck you! I don't care what your fucked-up subordinates think of you or me! Let them hear me cuss you out for all I care! Now get me a damn-" his hand clamped over her mouth to quiet her.

"I said…to be quiet." His hand lifted from her mouth and switched to run possessively down her cheek. "The only I'm staying this calm…is so that I don't go down stairs and tear Itachi to pieces." He took in a deep breath and let the images of Itachi pass through his mind. "Now, will you please cooperate with me for once?"

Anko's awful stare faded and she shook her head solemnly.

"Fuck you." Orochimaru returned harshly.

Kabuto didn't conceal his surprise as he walked past him. It was rare that he saw his master show so many emotions like the way he just had seen. Was he actually falling for that demented, unbearably loud, sorry excuse for a woman?

He stared at Anko for a moment. "Are…you…" he didn't finish for Anko walked out of the room, probably to follow Orochimaru.

"Jesus…" Kabuto groaned while pinching his nose skin. "Am I the only humane person left in this God forsaken place?"

"Probably."

Kabuto glanced to the side to see a very impassive Sasuke staring at the ceiling. "We're all starting to lose out minds, you're all that's left."

Kabuto stared at him strangely. _"Pain killers must be setting in,"_ he thought. He cleared his throat and began to gather his charts. "Try to get plenty of rest, I'll check in on you again in a couple of hours." He turned off the light as he left, leaving Sasuke in the dark. But the young Uchiha was already use to it.

"We're all going insane…Big brother…Why did you have wait this long to lose your mind?"

/././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././

Anko's finger, slick with vomit, slid easily out of her throat, the reminders of the Ipecac spiraling down the drain of the kitchen sink. She turned and her eyes searched the room franticly as she wiped the vile off of her mouth. She knew what she needed, knew what she wanted for once in her life.

She began rummaging through cabinets and draws for pills, a knife, _anything_ that would kill her.

"Come on, come on!" she screamed. She couldn't do it anymore. Life had become too much of a bitch for her to bear and she needed an escape. She didn't want to feel the anger, the sadness, and the fear anymore. She didn't want to see Sasuke's hate ridden face or Itachi's dead one. She just wanted the darkness, salvation.

"Damn it all!" She screamed. All the knives had been removed from the kitchen and hidden much to her dismay. She gasped when she felt a cold presence behind her. _"Sad isn't it?"_

Her eyes went wide at the familiarization of the voice. It wasn't Itachi's this time, thank God, but his just as insane partner, Kisame.

_"Sorry if I'm a disappointment, but Itachi won't be joining us anytime soon."_ His eyes narrowed by his smirk remained. "You and Orochimaru made sure of that!"

She slid down the cabinet and started beating the sides of her head with her hands.

"No, no, no, no!" she cried over and over again. "I don't want to go through this again!"

She shuddered and shook and did whatever she could to make the nightmare go away. She was so caught up in her own self-destruction that she didn't notice Kisame kneeling to her level. She felt something nudge her knee and peaked to see Kisame holding out a brown, liquor bottle.

_"Try this."_ He offered seductively.

She looked at him in horror. His clothes were torn to shreds and his skin was now a reddish color from all the blood he had lost; it was strongest around the corners of his mouth. He had the same, crazed look in his eyes Itachi had. He felt so cold…

She squeezed her eyes shut and covered her ears. "GO AWAY! GO AWAY! GO AWAY!"

The coldness was suddenly gone, an indication to open her eyes.

She signed slightly when she saw that there was no sign of him. She began to stand and her toe nudged a cold, smooth object. She gasped when she saw that it was the liquor bottle. She shot to her left where Kisame was sitting at the table.

_"The medicine that prick Kabuto gave you isn't supposed to be mixed with alcohol for safety purposes…but that's not going to a problem to us after a few minutes."_ He stood, but didn't approach her. _"One more time, Anko…Give Orochimaru's death one last try."_

She shook her head. "Please…I…I don't want to…"

The bottle was suddenly shoved into her hands. _"Orochimaru is rearranging the bed from Sasuke's…incident. But the knife that you've kept hidden is still there."_

"No!" she screamed at him, shoving the bottle back into his arms. "I won't do it, I won't hurt him again! I…I love him too much."

_"Love is a very disturbing thing, that's why I for one never messed around with it."_ He commented. _"And besides, Anko-chan, he probably doesn't feel the same about you."_

"That's not true."

_"I was given the honor to stand in Orochimaru's presence once before, so I have a basic idea of what he's like."_ He edged closer. _"You're having your doubts too, aren't ya?"_

She could only stare at the floor. Deep in her mind, she knew that Orochimaru hated her. And in her heart, she knew that, even if he did care somewhat about her, he could never truly love.

This time when Kisame placed the bottle in her arms, she gripped it tightly.

_"Thatta girl, get a sturdy drink and finish the job."_ His scaly skin cut into her cheek. _"Make Itachi proud."_

Anko blinked and he was gone. Her entire body was shaking but she somehow had enough control to open the liquor bottle and lift it to her lips for an experimental taste. Sake. Hadn't had that in a while.

/././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././././

Orochimaru looked up from the sheets he was changing to see a stumbling Anko enter into their room. Her eyes were dazed, and face was slightly flushed. She stepped closer to him and he winced as the scent of hard spirits hit his nostrils.

"Ello." She slurred. Yep, she was a drunk.

"Anko, you should know by now not to drink alcohol while on medication." He scorned.

"Oh…Shut up, snaky." She combated while staggering to the bed. She was so drunk that she didn't notice the dark blood stains on the mattress. She moaned and started twisting and rolling around to get into a comfortable position.

Orochimaru rolled his eyes and laid down the now silent Anko. He stared at her back and felt the urge to speak to her, but didn't have the right words put together. So many emotions were running through his being, some he was so use to like pain and emptiness, others he hadn't coped with in years, attachment to another person

"You know," Anko said suddenly. "I actually didn't want to kill you tonight."

Orochimaru frowned and remained silent.

Anko secretly clutched the blade Kisame had warned her about. "I wanted to beat the hell out of you, yeah, but killing you was not in me." She turned to him, not thinking about concealing her weapon.

He stared at the gleaming blade impassively. "Do you still feel that way, Anko dear?"

Her barely there eyes stared into his. "I want you to feel what you put me through every day." Her next actions were very slow and shaky, but she managed to straddle Orochimaru and unsteadily press the knife to his neck. "I said once…that if I was interested…in having sex with you…that…I'd do something like this…right?"

His hand wrapped his hand around her wrist to better steady the object on his throat. "You're drunk. You're not thinking clearly."

Her lips clashed down on his in a demanding way. She coiled her tongue around his so that she could taste something other than the old blood and alcohol.

_"Anko…"_

She kissed him harder to block out the shark shinobi's voice in her head.

Orochimaru hands began wondering around her waist as he tried to get his thoughts together.

"Anko…" he moaned against his will when her hands slid to his inner thighs. She was getting to a very…specific place and he was still deciding whether it would be best to fuck her when she was sober, or now and get his ass kicked later.

He heard her whisper. "Don't give up on me. Don't be like Itachi for God's sake, don't be like him."

"So this is why you want Itachi gone."

She lifted her face; her eyes were so pained as she fell beside him and took in breaths of agony. "I…need to forget this, Orochimaru." Some of the respect pointers from when she was a child came back. "Please?

He was on top of her now, his hips lightly brushing hers in his own seductive manner. His fingers trailed gentle patterns around her eyes and lips.

"All right…" his dark humor came back. "But I'll be taking charge of this situation." He was flipped onto his back as soon as those words left his lips by the strength Anko shouldn't of had.

"I don't think so." The darkness in her tone didn't belong to her. Her own lips began to plant hard kisses and bites around his jaw and neck to better emphasize the power she could have over him. She lifted her mouth from his skin and picked up the almost forgotten knife. She studied her reflection in the gleaming blade, and hated what she saw.

"_You can do it."_ Kisame encouraged her.

She brought the knife at his collarbone, where the bandages began. She met his eyes and he nodded to give her permission to rip the material off of him.

And she did so, roughly, grazing his skin with the knife's tip. She removed the strips and kissed the muscles of his well-defined chest.

His arms circled around her waist to hold her in that position. Her venom was flowing through his veins, his senses and nerves. And despite how it was killing him, he wanted more.

Her lips were at his neck again while her hands slide down to his pants. He smirked in amusement as her clumsy fingers began undoing the strings. "Going a little fast, aren't we?"

"Just trying to get to the good parts." She husked in his ear as she undid the zipper.

He moaned as she slid her fingertips into the lapels of his boxers and her short nails scrapped his growing member lightly, her tongue moving to his hard nipples and nipping at them harshly.

But suddenly, she stopped, pulling her mystical mouth away from his skin. He was a bit agitated that his happy moment was fouled, but decided to keep his cool for the sake of getting it on with the girl above him. "What's wrong?"

Her dark bangs covered her eyes as her hands lifted from his chest to her cover her eyes.

"Anko?" he whispered.

She peaked out of her insanity filled smile and brushed her bangs aside. "I've never done the next part before."

His eyes widened. "But…"

She chuckled. "You made _that_ accusation, Orochimaru, I never claimed them true."

After the shock wore off, he chuckled and ran his hands up her taut thighs. "As I said before, my non-virgin friend, I like to teach the inexperienced ones things. And there's so much I can teach you, Anko…so much…"

"We'll see about that…Sensei." She mumbled in his lips.

His fingers slid under the shirt she had thrown over the bandages and, after getting approval from her eyes, lifted it over her head and off her arms. Her breast bulged out at him, hard and smooth from the crisp air around them.

She didn't seem to mind when he ran circles around them to calm the urgency to tear the bandages off of her. One of his hands slid to her back and found one of the bows holding them together. He sat up to get in a better position, causing Anko to slide down on his clothed happiness.

Pieces of smiles and frowns flashed over her lips. She kept escaping the world she was in and was able to get a lot together when she returned. She didn't know why she was doing what she was, but it felt right, like she was something other than Itachi's little portal. And it felt good, very good.

Her concentration returned some when she felt something warm and wet slide across her freezing breasts and stomach. She moaned, gripping Orochimaru's scalp carefully so that she could stay conscious to enjoy the feelings he was gifting her.

He moaned and licked his lips, the taste of Anko's flesh free in his mouth. However, Orochimaru was greedy, and wanted to taste _more. _He pushed her up higher, one arm wrapping around her while the other finished the task she started of removing his pants and boxers, kicking the to the end of the bed so that he was now as completely nude; all for his Anko.

She smiled at him, her nose nuzzling his neck. "Now who's rushing things, hmm?"

His hands gripped her pants, wanting to get them off so that he could get to his favorite part and _really_ teach Anko. Then, he was stopped by her iron grip, so hard that any more pressure would have snapped his fingers like twigs.

"What's this?" he asked her, glaring.

Her teeth gnashed together as someone else's icy touch slid up her back. She stilled a gasp when she felt warm, blood reeking breath on her naked shoulder. She could feel his grin.

"_This is a strange method of tearing someone into pieces, Anko."_ The shark ninja told her. His hand slid to one of her arms, gripping her wrist and picking it up as if she were a puppet. He made it go to her pants buttons.

"_I personally don't care how you do this, as long as I get to watch you and…well, just get the job done, okay?"_

She let out a frightened gasp as he and his touch disappeared.

"Anko?" Orochimaru questioned when he saw how pale she became in only a few seconds.

She closed her eyes for a moment to adjust to the headache spiraling in her cranium. Her mind was in a fog, but the man who she had her legs over was trying to hold her to the place where lust existed without regret; Orochimaru gripping on her chin made her focus.

She kissed him before he could ask more questions, grinding her hips into his, the urge to feel skin on skin rising in the pit of her core.

"Get them off." She whispered seductively against lips, leading his hands to the waist of her pants.

Still slightly confused, Orochimaru didn't have to be told twice to get the final barrier between them out of the way. He made her lift her hips slightly to get the garment down halfway down those long legs before ripping the rag off completely.

They both gasped; the intense moment finally happening.

She wrapped her arms loosely around his neck; her arms were shaking as she bucked his face into her neck. He cupped her waist gently, his hands sliding up and down her back as he waited for her.

She was dead nervous, the one thing her subconscious drug out that was useful. "You said you liked doing this with young girls, did you mean that you've done this before?"

He planted a light kiss on her collarbone before looking up to give her an answer. "No…Not in this way, at least." He laughed dryly. "I can mark STD's off my list of things that can kill me then."

He traveled up to her lips again where they shared a long, hot kiss.

"I wouldn't do that, not if I knew." He slid her closer to his pounding member. Talk and friendly caresses were awesome, but the human, lust-filled, part of him wanted action. NOW!

He spread her sweat slick legs so that he could enter her easily "I won't let the pain last long, baby." He assured as the tip of him enter.

Anko's eyes widened as a memory flashed across her drunken mind:

"_I kill you some other time, okay?"_

She didn't have time to relish on the whole thing before the pain of virginity begin lost hit her. He was completely inside her now, moaning and waiting. She clawed at the back of his neck, making rows of pick scrapes flowing with blood.

He held her hips down to help her get better adjusted to the new experience. He himself was trying to keep his own sanity in check. She was so tight that it felt as if his member were being crushed between two moist walls. He wanted to start thrusting, but her moans of pain made him held back, if only a little. _"Anko, PLEASE hurry up."_

"O-Orochi…" she implored. She leaned her back and let out a hoarse cry of tension. Her subconscious was telling her to fuck the daylights out of the gorgeous man under her, but she couldn't bring herself out of the cloud of pain living in her core.

"_I knew you'd chicken out." _Kisame's voice buzzed inside her skull.

She gritted her teeth, set on steel to prove him wrong. She gripped Orochimaru's shoulders and slid off of his slippery member, a trail of blood dripping down her thighs as she did so. She waited a few seconds for the needles in her opening to settle down before looking into Orochimaru's pleading eyes. This lifted her spirits some. He was _desperate _for this. She leaned back down and blew cold air along the edge of his ear, earning a pleased moan from him.

"So…" she cooed. "How exactly am I supposed to do this?" she sounded like an innocent schoolgirl, flirting with the handsomest teacher to get the littlest amount of attention she could get from him.

He growled, knowing her game.

She ran her tongue down his temple and slowly pushed herself back onto him, earning a surprised, but lustful moan from him. "Anko…"

"Am I doing it right…Sensei?" she asked as a pout. His low moans gave her strength enough to slide back off and then on again, this time a bit faster. "I'm going to stop if you don't help me."

"Yes!" he hissed as she gave his member a slight rock to the sides. "Yes, Anko…you're doing fine…"

"How do you want me to proceed then?"

'_Stop…'_

"Hmm?" she started, sliding out again.

"Anko…" he swallowed a large lump. Orochimaru, the Snake Sannin, the ruler of fear, had his webbles wrapped firmly around his former students' finger. "…Just…fuck me, damn it."

Anko smirked wildly. "You asked for it." She pushed back in with force, grimacing slightly at the fireworks of pain shooting through her body. All for him.

She slowly increased her speed, gaining pleasure for herself as she rocked against him.

His forehead was drenched with sweat and his back gave out as the woman on him reached her full speed, taking his drenched member into herself over and over again. He had always imagined being the dominate one when she agreed to have sex with him, but perhaps it was better to sit back and see what his former apprentice had picked up during the lonely years without him.

She couldn't stop, didn't know how to stop for that matter. Her actions were not her own as she swayed her hips repeatedly over the man under her. Her mouth and tongue swam over his sweaty flesh, but she didn't taste it. He choked out something she didn't hear and clawed her thighs, which she, even though the scratches bled, didn't feel. But she did how ever feel the burns of someone's clad fingertips running over her back.

"_Mmm…" _Kisame moaned behind her.

"You're not him." she breathed out, clenching herself harder down on Orochimaru to erase Kisame's presence and touch.

"_Oh… But Anko, how can I not exist when you're granting so much pleasure?" _his lips ran down hers slightly. _"I see now why Itachi wanted you so much…"_

"…Ahh…AH!" A pressure hit Anko, one she didn't even know was building, and she lost her breath as it exited her burning hips and gripped Orochimaru's shoulders to keep herself from going limp.

Orochimaru wrapped his around her waist and brought her completely down on his length before releasing his thick load inside her. "…Damn."

They stood very still for a moment, letting the last of the pain and pleasure sink in and the sweat dry out.

Anko lifted her head and looked into his glassy, lust filled eyes. She wanted to say something, but his movements on her waist and Kisame's stare on her back shut virtually all her senses down. Her eyes rolled to the back of her head and she rolled off of him to land on her back.

She was at the mercy at their hungry gazes now, but after that episode, they could take turns killing her for all she cared. It seemed likely that Orochimaru would do so since he got what he wanted, and despite how little she knew the shark ninja, she was sure he'd get his hands around her neck some kind of way.

She opened her eyes slightly, getting a second long glance at Kisame before Orochimaru's angelic face replaced it.

He kissed her lips softly, running his own tongue in her soft insides before turning around to pull a sheet over her lying down on his side. He ran his hand up and down her legs, his fingers making swirls with the liquid left behind.

"I'll repay you in the morning." He said, kissing her temple. "Go to sleep now."

Anko stared at him. She wanted to scream and tell him about how Kisame was alive and with them, but the perfect smile on his face made her forget. She forced her sore body on her side and nuzzled her face into his chest, which he responded to by slinging an arm over her waist. "Just relax now, I got you."

As the exhausted girl slipped deeper into a nightmare-plagued world, she shivered as she heard Kisame laughing.

* * *

_**I…WARNED DIDN'T I!**_

_**CAP-LOCKS, AND BOLD!**_

_**Ethridge: Idiots**_

_**DIDN'T I TELL YOU TO GET THE HECK OUT OF MY FANFIC!**_


	16. We can still Pretend

_And one of these days we'll no longer betray  
Ourselves in any way  
We won't all look the same way down  
And one of these days we'll no longer betray  
Ourselves in anyway  
Then we'll all take the same way out_

* * *

She awoke with a gasp and a violent shudder as she shot up from a surprisingly, dreamless sleep. Anko sat very still to evaluate her soundings, every shadow, and every ray of light. The buzzing feeling she had had in the back of her skull since she first stepped out of that hospital was…dead.

"Itachi?" she whispered out, regretting her decision to do so. Nothing—not even a pain.

She arched her neck and tried a different route. "Kisame?" Again—no answer, no pain, or form of existence that the two were still with her.

"What's-" a groan from the man with his arms wrapped tightly around her waist cut off her outer thoughts.

"Damn!" she cursed under her breath as the drunken memories of the night before it ran though her subconscious. She tried to remain calm as Orochimaru nuzzled her hip, but she was caught in between disgust, jumping up and doing a "HELL-TO-THE-YEAH" dance, or just throwing the son of a gun off of her.

She took in a deep, angry, and fear filled breath and slowly slid out of his unrelenting embrace. She snuck looks at him as she searched for her clothes, but they were in shreds and completely unwearable. She cursed and looked around, her desperate eyes landing on Orochimaru's closet. She covered her shivering body as best as she could with her arms and rushed to his closet.

"Why the hell is this man so damn girly?" she cursed under her breath as she searched for something other than a kimono. She sighed in frustration and subconsciously pulled one off the hangers and wrapped it around her and tied it quickly. She found a pair of sandals at the bottom and put them on despite how larger they were from her own tiny feet.

She looked back at the sleeping Orochimaru, her heart and core aching at the sight of his two-thirds naked self.

"Okay, Kisame, Itachi, one of you get out here and tell me what I should do." She demanded, closing her eyes to await their faces. But after five minutes, nothing happened. She slowly peeked through her eyes just in case they wanted to give her a heart attack that early in the morning. "Where…?"

Kisame had been with her last night, and Itachi…had died?

An insane, but happy smile spread over her lips.

"They're…They're gone…" she covered her mouth to cover her shriek of happiness. "Yes! Yes! YES!"

She hurried out of the room only to immediately collide with Kabuto, sending them both back a few feet and a clipboard to the side. They looked at every inch of each other's bodies, their eyes wide. Kabuto was only wearing an orange towel with green seaweed pair of swimming trunks…tight fitting trunks.

"WHAT THE HELL!" they yelled at each other in union.

"Why the hell are you half-naked?" screamed Anko.

"Why the hell are you in one of Lord Orochimaru's robes?" bantered Kabuto.

They stared at each other for a few seconds, trying to figure out each other's secret. They were both just really weird, or just had sex. Can you guess?

Kabuto didn't try to conceal his surprise and slight disgust. "You did it with Orochimaru, didn't you?"

"I was drunk." She answered simply. She took a guess at Kabuto, snickering at her up-coming joke. "You…had a beach party?"

He frowned. "I got so sick of everything that went on last night that I got drunk and somehow ended up waking up with Sasuke dressed like THIS!" he emphasized by pulling at the shorts.

Anko stared at him strangely. "I'm sorry?"

He pouted like a child unable to get their way. "Yeah, you are. It's all your damn fault."

"Now wait a minute-!"

"Ever since you showed up at that hospital, my life has been nothing but hell!"

"And you think mine's been a picnic?"

"Well, it's been a lot better than mine, especially since you got laid by Lord Orochimaru!"

"Why you son of a-"

"I wish you had died in that hospital! And I bet that if you hadn't fucked him, Lord Orochimaru would say the same!" he screamed as loud as he could.

She froze, a bit shock that he would simply go up and say it. She knew that he had wanted her dead the whole time, but he had never openly showed it like Sasuke. She was angry and hurt now, not from the medical ninja himself, but that she hadn't fulfilled his want.

She blinked back a few frustrated tears and stared at the raging teen. She lifted a fist to angle with his face; he winced knowing what was coming. He closed his eyes to await impact, but they flew open when he felt soft arms encircle him. He stared at the spikes that was her hair and then at her forehead as she looked up at him with insane eyes.

"That's not going to be your priority after today." She released him and walked away. "I'm going to get some breakfast."

"What?" he called after her. He sighed as disappeared behind a corner and bent down to retrieve his cold clipboard. He rubbed his goose bumped shoulders as he made his way to the next lab to further heal from the long night before.

"I'm just a medical ninja. I didn't ask for all these nut jobs, and strange women…"

* * *

_"What…What the hell is this?" _

_Kabuto's, Itachi's, Sasuke's, and Kisame's peaceful, sweaty faces looked up in an annoyed gloom at the Snake Sannin. They were all in a large tub filled with red water, naked, and…turned on…by Orochimaru's completely nude self._

_Kabuto smirked seductively at his master and reached for him, his hand suddenly coated with pink water. "Come on Lord Orochimaru…join us." _

_His hand gripped his member, causing Orochimaru to gasp in disgust. He felt a presence behind him and turned to it. _

_Anko was standing behind him, clothed in a towel unlike the rest of them, with a knife gleaming in her hand. _

_"DANM IT, OROCHIMARU! GET YOUR HEAD OUT OF THE GUTTER!"_

_She slung it at him and all he saw was red._

* * *

Orochimaru dug his nose deeper into the softness under him as he slowly woke up. He tightened the grip he had around it and his eyes opened when he felt nothing but air. He sat up, the covers sliding off of him, and saw that Anko was nowhere in the room.

Her clothes were still scattered around the room along with traces of her scent, but no physical scents of Anko. He sighed and after a little stretching, went to his closet for clean clothes. He noticed as he searched that one of his kimonos, a silky purple and white, was missing. His stomach turned for two reasons: One, Anko was walking around in nothing but that and was doing God knows what. Secondly, it was his mother's wedding gown.

"Damn!" Orochimaru yelled as he quickly pulled on a pair of trousers and T-shirt and sandals. He almost broke his door down and fell on Kabuto when he burst out. He took a moment to observe his strange wardrobe. Oh, God.

The medic now had a gray t-shirt over his body to go with his swimming trunks, which he had yet to change out of. "Uh…Morning, Lord Orochimaru—"

"Have you seen Anko?" he ordered, his eyes averting from Kabuto.

"Yes, sir, about half an hour ago. I wanted to talk to you about her-"

"No time!" he yelled as he ran past him.

"Lord Orochimaru?" the medical ninja called after him.

* * *

The coffee Anko pressed to her lips actually had a taste from something other than blood. She ate the soft toast and enjoyed its buttery taste, but readied herself for the disgusting taste to fit at any moment. She looked around, expecting the unwanted, monstrous faces of Kisame, and maybe Itachi if he wasn't truly dead, to jump out and attack her and scorn her for Orochimaru still being alive.

She smiled as she ate in peace. They were leaving her alone, even if it was just for a moment. Everything's almost perfect. The disgust hit at that thought hit. Nothing was perfect, could never be perfect for that matter. Yes, her demons were gone for the moment but her want, the person she needed, couldn't belong with her.

She got up and put her plate and glass in the sink, washing them with sad movements. She'd be gone by the time Orochimaru found out, gone and out of their lives, his life.

"Leaving so soon?"

Anko glanced around and saw Orochimaru at her doorway. Judging from the position he was standing in, he was not going to let her walk away just yet.

"Yeah." She replied emotionlessly. She straightened her form and turned to face him, crossing her arms and looking down. "There's not much of a reason to stick around, the delusions are gone," one of her arms rubbed her shoulder "There's still some pain, but it's manageable." She turned back to her bag.

Orochimaru, after closing and locking the swinging door quietly, crept up behind her and gently touch her shoulders. "You want to stay, that is clear to both of us."

Anko gently pried herself out of his grip. "I went too far last night; I can't stay here and not expect hell to break loose."

Orochimaru wrapped his arms around her; his grip wasn't a restraint, but it kept her still.

"The delusions are gone," he started, repeating her words from before. "You can still feel pain, but can take it." He planted a light kiss to her neck. "You know that if you stay you might not be able to keep your control in check because of the demons around you." His hands slid under the folds of the kimono and massaged the soft orbs that were her breasts. "Let me help you…"

Anko pulled herself from his addicting touch. "I can't."

"That's because you're not trying." He emphasize by grabbing her again.

"Let me go." She commanded as he gave her a disapproving look, picked her up, and slugged her over his shoulder.

"You stop, Anko."

"Put me down, you!" she screamed, banging her fists on his back.

He smirked at her childish behavior and gave her bottom a playful slap, momentarily stunning her.

"Bitch!" she screamed as he pinned her to a counter top. His lips made individual marks around her flesh and his hands held her waist down to better keep her restrained. She kept fighting anyway.

"Get off me right the fuck now!" She husked.

"I rather fuck you right now." He rasped at the goose bumps on her neck.

She threw him off of her and was pulled back down before she even had a chance to run. Orochimaru was on top of her now, his teeth sinking into her neck to distract her while one of his hands tried to capture her hands and the other went to the tie around her waist.

She knew what he was planning, despite the pain. "Don't do this!"

He pulled his fangs out of her and met her stare. "I'll do whatever it takes to make you stay, Anko, that includes fucking you until you're paralyzed."

She bucked forward as another attempt to get free, vain like the others. She wasn't sure what else to do when he opened the robe completely.

He smirked. "Anko. it's very unladylike to run around without anything under your clothes."

He undid the opening of his own pants and positioned himself over her awaiting opening. She flinched violently when he thrust inside her roughly.

"Stay." He commanded hoarsely.

"No…" she moaned.

He began to thrust in and out of her slowly. "It's so much easier this way, Anko. I can keep you safe from anyone who would dare try to hurt you again."

She growled. "You couldn't even protect yourself, I'm better off alone…or even with Itachi in his nightmare." She subconscious added the last part, but it still affected the man above her.

He increased his speed. "Make this easy on yourself."

"No. For the last time, NO!"

He smirked angrily. "…You asked for it."

Without warning, he shoved two of his fingers into her tight depths and pumped them along side his hardness, earning a nice scream from her. He started tearing off his shirt with a free hand while sliding them up the counter to better support them both. He noticed that her hips were springing to him slightly, and despite how good it felt, still had to show her that he meant business. He held her hips down and drove into her even faster.

"Ah…AHH!" She couldn't help but scream. There was so much pain, metal and physical, in the situation, and yet the pleasure outweighed it.

Orochimaru bent down and let his moans and groans fill her ear. They turned her on so much for some reason, but she didn't want to be, so she screamed to block them out and let herself be heard. Orochimaru covered her mouth with his shifting palm. "Now you're not going to try to ruin our fun now, are you?"

She glared at him and cursed him through his sweaty flesh. His head went back into neck, ignoring her stutters of anger. She felt the pressure building again, and once for she didn't know what to do with it.

"Come on, Anko." He groaned. He was just as close and wasn't sure his body could put up with much more persuasion. "Stay with me."

"I…Ah…AH!"

Enough. Her scream echoed through the base as her self-restraint crashed and her reaction filled Orochimaru.

Orochimaru could only get a few pumps in before his peak crumbled down as well and his load shot deep into her belly with a yelp. He stayed very still with exception of his heavy breathing. His body was begging for rest, but his mind was set on completing his mission. He was a bit taken aback by the heavy sobbing under him.

"I-I'll…I'll stay! I'LL STAY!"

He lifted himself off her slightly to watch the silver tears taking turns running down her flushed cheeks.

"I'll stay." She repeated hoarsely.

Orochimaru closed up the kimono to cover her quivering chest as his love became hysterical.

"I'll stay, I'll stay, I'll stay, I'll stay…"

He wrapped his arms around her and picked her up to take her with him to the floor, holding her tightly to him as they rested.

"I'll stay…I'll stay…"

* * *

_"I can't…Itachi?"_

Sasuke stared at the ceiling, lost in the sound of his heart monitor and the feeling of individual droplets entering his IV. Over and over again.

His entire body was shaking and soaked in sweat. He was in so much pain, felt so much anger fill him up, but it was great to feel something there. He was sick of the emptiness.

His eyes quivered and a hoarse scream broke through his throat as another wave of pain flowed through him. He searched for one of the many medical instruments Kabuto had a habit of leaving around.

His frantic hand found a small scalpel and gripped it as if it were a lifeline. He readied himself to use it if the pain didn't go away anytime soon, but it settled in waves, slowly bringing Sasuke back into a defenseless, weakened slate as his hold on the knife became looser and his eyes rolled into the back of his head.

"I can't…keep doing…this…"

He opened his eyes slowly, only to see the dark ceiling looking back at him. No Itachi or Kisame, unlike Anko.

"That bitch." He grumbled. She got what he had wanted for so many years, to take Itachi out. To watch him die. Die**.**

He let out another long gasp of pain, the feeling of needles stabbing every inch of his body stronger than the last time. His hand entangled itself around the tool, lifting it to the IV on his opposite arm where the fluid, the only thing keeping his body from shutting, flowed.

He pressed the sharp end to the plastic tube, his thumb holding it steady for a neat cut. His eyes were still focused on ceiling, his blurring vision tracing the black, swirling patterns the shadows made. "I'll see you there, Itachi."

No one would ever know.

His heart monitor began picking up speed as the blade pressed deeper into the tube. "Brother…"

A cold hand clasped down on the one Sasuke was ending his life with and removed the scalpel quickly.

The touch sent life through Sasuke, and enough strength so that he could turn his head to meet the person willing to save his life.

His eyes widened in disbelief, but as soon as the angelic face smiled and touched his cheek, he didn't care if what he was seeing was an illusion or not.

"Mom…Mama?"

Her smile hadn't changed at all. "I'm here to take you home, honey."

Sasuke's eyes changed but his smile did not. "Home?"

She nodded to an area beside him.

He turned and his expression went into one of horror stricken.

His scream went unheard for everyone else in the base was mixed up in…other matters.

* * *

"Ah! Damn it! Be careful! It stings!"

Orochimaru laughed softly at Anko's childish—well, more like teenage, since she was cussing—manners as he gently thumped his chakra into the most serious bruises on her back and sides.

They in the process of making a recovery in the shower with Anko pinned to one of the walls, her back to him, a position he wanted to try again one day when the memories of the past two days were forgotten.

She hissed again and this time grabbed his arm and twisted them so that their positions were switched, her hand to his throat with the full intention of choking him in mind.

"Do you want to see how it feels?" she growled dangerously.

He smiled warmly and ran a hand up her hip. "I'd like to try something a little different…"

She pulled away, giving him a full view of her body, and crossed her arms, "Don't press your luck, we've fucked twice."

He stepped up and tilted her chin to him and locked her in an unexpected kiss. It ended just as soon as it started, leaving a lingering need for them both. His lips traveled up her neck to kiss the skin of her ear before whispering in a dominant manner. "If you ever try to leave again, I'll kill you, do understand?"

Her own lips were making seductive trails on his collarbone. "Your attempts to make me wantto stay are very inconvincible, Sensei."

He wrapped his arms around her, his hands going lower than necessary. "Just wanting to make things clear." He added with a bit of dark humor. "My torture is nothing compared to that of our dear deceased Itachi's."

Her eyes lids closed half way. She no longer wanted to kill herself at the mention of his name anymore. Yes, he still had a very strong effect on her, but he was in the same place in her heart that Orochimaru had been years before, dead.

A shudder ran through her as images of his normal, lively, expression ran across her mind and then ones of his rotting, hateful one. She crushed herself to Orochimaru for comfort. "Want to go for a third time?"

Orochimaru nodded, but he knew her game. This was going to be how it was for now on, her coming to him to do whatever necessary to take the memories of Itachi out of her mind. He didn't have too much of a problem with that, but he was the one who used, not the one who got used. Still, he was willing to pretend this was for his benefit.

So she let him in once more, giving every bit of herself to him, the man who kept her safe in his arms from the world.

This was her home now…

* * *

She awoke an unknown amount of time later, wrapped in clean kimono with Orochimaru's arms wrapped securely around her. He himself was only covered at the waist by a towel.

She smiled and was about to go back to sleep when a thought hit her. Sasuke.

Taking one glance at Orochimaru, she slid carefully from his grip; similarly to the way she had that matter.

She made sure no four-eyed weirdo was outside her door when she stepped out. She strolled to the medical ward they had been in the night before, which to her slight surprise wasn't too hard to find.

She hid outside the door for a moment to think about what she wanted to say to him, but when no great ideas came to her immediately, she decided to go free style.

She walked in proudly. "Hey, Sasuke."

She didn't receive an answer from the unmoving Uchiha. He looked as though he was still asleep for his head was turned to the side and he wasn't moving like an awake person, an advantage to get a few things off her chest so that he couldn't hold them against him later.

"Look, I know we've had our problems. You've tried to kill me once or twice and I've wanted to gut you like a fish many times, but I want you to know that I'm willing to let it all go if you are." She smiled, satisfied with what she proposed. "What do you say, truce?"

She stared down at him and frowned. It wasn't going to work like this. She sighed and shook him slightly; ready for any weapons he might throw at her. "All right, wake up, I got to do this right."

He shook with her movements but did nothing else.

"Sasuke." She sighed. She was getting annoyed by his silent treatment and resorted to shaking him violently. "Wake up, damn it!"

A metal tool grazed her leg and landed at her feet. She stopped and stared down at the scalpel; he had had some good times with those things.

Her instincts set in and she quickly yanked the sheets off of him. She covered her mouth to muffle what could have been a scream or a sob.

His hair was gray, almost white, and his eyes were as large as saucers, his pupils the size of pen heads.

He had died of fright.

It took a moment for the dark images of Itachi's death to leave her mind and for her sanity to get back in check before she pulled her hand away from her mouth and found the guts to step closer to Sasuke's corpse.

Now that she looked at him more clearly, she could almost say that she like him better this way. After all, there was a hint of a smile on his white, dead lips.

She smiled herself and lifted a hand over his eyes to gently close them. "Tell Itachi I'll kill him some other time, okay?"

* * *

Sasuke groaned as he slowly sat up. His eyes instantly met red and black skies; there was no ground under him. No solid objects anywhere.

"Hello?" he called out. Amazingly enough, he didn't' even receive and echo.

His senses sparked and he turned around to see his mother walking to him, the same gentle smile on her face as before.

"Mother, what is this?" he demanded, more harshly than he wanted to be.

"Why it's home dear." She said coolly.

"What-" a black hand shot out from nowhere and grabbed his neck, forcing him to the ground. Within seconds, more hands appeared and captured his body.

"Mo-" one clammed down on his mouth to cut off his voice.

His mother started laughing, softly at first but then it turned to maniacal, uncontainable chortles as she fell to her knees, her head level with his.

He watched in horror as him mother-the person he loved most in the world—fell apart. His horror reached a new level as his darkening eyes saw Itachi's familiar legs step behind her and grab hold of her hair, yanking it and causing her to shriek with the laughter as if his harsh treatment felt good. He brought a knife to her neck.

"Itachi, no!" he screamed. His pleas meant nothing as the blade went into his mother's throat and slit it open.

Itachi smiled at his little brother. "Looks like you have it, too."

Sasuke finally broke. "NO!"

His mind was filled with nothing but their laughter and his screams as the black hands slowly suffocated him.

"Is this…is this what dying feels like?"

* * *

_So don't give up on me_  
_We can still Pretend_  
_This is all just a game_  
_That'll work itself out in the end_


End file.
